AFP GEARS UP FOR BIG BATTLE VS IS-MAUTE

ARMED Forces Chief Eduardo Ao said
Monday the military was now preparing
for the one big battle that would liber-
ate Marawi City from the Maute terrorists
after regaining the citys police station and
Grand Mosque last week.
He made the statement even as security
forces on Monday killed 10 Islamic State-
inspired terrorists in an encounter on Lake
Lanao.
Ao said the nal battle was possible
as the area where the remaining terror-
ists were holding out in Marawi City had
grown much smaller.
Formerly they were spread out, [but
with the capture of the Marawi City police
station and Grand Mosque] they are now
consolidating their remaining ghters and
positions, Ao said.
The 10 terrorists were trying to sneak
into the battle zone in Marawi City to re-
inforce their comrades, but they were in-
tercepted by Army troops, an ofcial said.
Next page
VOL. XXXI NO. 196 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES P18 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 www.manilastandard.net editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Church
to public:
Speak up
vs killings
By Vito Barcelo
CATHOLIC Church leaders
on Monday said people should
not keep silent on drug killings
when it comes to abuses and
instead come out and support
actions against extrajudicial
killings.
Novaliches Bishop Emeri-
tus Teodoro Bacani Jr. said
society should not stay silent
when it comes to abuses, and
criticized the war on drugs
which has already claimed
more that 3,000 lives since
President Rodrigo Duterte
took ofce last year.
The Jesuit community led
by Fr. Antonio Moreno ex-
pressed sympathy for the vic-
tims of summary killings and
pressed the need for communi-
LAPU-LAPU MEDAL. President Rodrigo Duterte confers the Order of Lapu-Lapu Magalong Medal on Ozamiz City Police Director Chief. Insp. Jovie Espenido during the National Heroes ty support and action to curtail
Day celebration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Monday. He was hailed for his successful anti-illegal drug operations in Ozamiz, where Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others were the drug problem. Next page
killed recently. Espenido was then reassigned to Iloilo City. Malacaang Photo

Iloilo mayor warned

Rody vows End drug ties or suffer
justice for narco-pols fateDu30
Kian Loyd By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte
on Monday assured the fam-
ily of slain 17-year-old student
Kian Loyd delos Santos that
justice will be served following
his killing at the hands of rogue
Caloocan cops.
He promised us that he would
help solve the case because anyone
who is guilty should be punished,
said Lorenza delos Santos, Kians
mother, speaking in Filipino.
Lorenza and her husband
Saldy had lunch with the Presi-
dent at the Malago Clubhouse
in Malacaang Park after he ar-
rived from an event in San Fer-
nando, Pampanga, past 1 p.m.
Duterte assured the parents
of Kian that no one will meddle
in the case, noting that only the
courts and the prosecutor will
handle it.
At the same time, Duterte
vowed there would be no cover-
up of abuses committed under
his administration.
I dont cover up abuses. Thats
not the work of the President,
Duterte told Kians parents. Our
work is to protect the people.
The meeting, requested by the
Delos Santoses, lasted more than
an hour.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano
Aguirre II and Special Assistant
to the President Christopher Go
accompanied the President dur-
ing the meeting. Next page
S
AN FERNANDO, PampangaPresident
Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned Iloilo
City Mayor Jed Mabilog that he might
lose his life if he does not stop protecting the
illegal drug trade, then announced the transfer
of a police inspector who was in charge of
operations that left two mayors dead.
Now, while nothing is happen- suffer the same fate as Albuera,
ing, you might want to end your Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa
drug connections, Duterte said, and Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo
addressing Mabilog in Filipino. Parojinog Jr., both of whom died
Just be a drug lord. Youll earn in anti-drug operations supervised
billions. But in exchange, youll by Chief Supt. Jovie Espenido.
die. Lets not kid around, he said. Espenido, where are you? I
Earlier in the day, Duterte said will ask you again, you asked for
he wondered if Mabilog could Next page
In boodle fight, Rody makes
strong pitch for poultry items
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, are undertaking efforts to stamp
Pampanga President Rodrigo out the outbreak and minimize its
Duterte on Monday assured the impact in the country, the Presi-
public that poultry products re- dent said, as he visited Pampanga
mained safe for consumption province recently struck by the
as he announced he would seek avian inuenza virus.
additional funds to augment the In making his pitchthe Presi-
governments support for the dent even feasted on adobong
poultry raisers. balut, pritong pugo, adobong
I assure the public that the manok, litson manok, kaldere-
PERSONAL GRATITUDE. Parents of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, slain last week in an anti-illegal drug
operation by police in Caloocan City, call on President Rodrigo Duterte to express their collective gratitude for poultry products in Pampanga and tang bibe and nilagang itlog in a
assuring that justice will be served and that there will be no interference in the case, citing that only due process Nueva Ecija are safe for consump- boodle ght with top ofcials
will prevail. Malacaang Photo tion and that we, in government, Next page

Agrarian chief faces Taguiwalo rapped for fund diversion

congressional wringer
AGRARIAN Reform Secretary
Rafael Mariano is set to face the
Commission on Appointments
for the rst time on Wednesday,
with at least 10 oppositions led
against his nomination.
In a notice of meeting pub-
lished by the CA, it listed 10 op-
positions, three of which are sep-
arate resolutions issued by three
barangays in Tarlac.
Publication of the notice co-
incided with a concern raised
by ACT Teachers Party-list
Rep. Antonio Tinio that leftist
lawmakers at the House of Rep-
resentatives had practically
broken their alliance with Presi-
dent Rodrigo Duterte.
Next page
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO,
Pampanga Former Social
Welfare Secretary Judy Tagui-
walo is suspected of diverting
government funds allotted for
the governments conditional
dole to support the cause of the
communist New Peoples Army,
President Rodrigo Duterte said
Monday.
Citing reports that could not
be immediately veried indepen-
dently, there were insinuations the
bulk of the money supposedly in-
tended for the 4 Ps program was
given to the New Peoples Army,
adding he would have allowed
that if the money was used to buy
food for poor NPA members.
But he said there were anxiet-
ies the money was used to buy
bullets or rearms, following the
pronouncement of Jose Maria Si-
son, the exiled leader of the Com-
munist Party of the Philippines,
that the communists were expand-
ing their ranks and recruiting new
members.
Duterte said he did not believe
allegations against taguiwalo,
who was recently rejected by the
powerful Commission on Ap-
pointments.
Meanwhile, Duterte told former
Bureau of Customs Commission-
er Nicanor Faeldon to rst take a
break amid the P6.4 billion worth
of shabu from China that slipped
through his agency. Next page Taguiwalo

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A2 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
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Customs man gets death threats Petrol
leads
By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz
R
ESIGNED Customs intelligence chief
Neil Estrella claimed Monday he
had been receiving death threats from
unknown people in the wake of the alleged
attempt to smuggle in P6.4 billion worth of
shabu from Customs.
Estrella was among the high-
ranking Customs officials al-
legedly receiving weekly pay-
offs from Customs broker Mark
Taguba to speed up the release
of his shipments, a charge that
he denies.
In the House, Rep. Lito Atienza
on Monday asked his colleagues
to scrap the extra P4.2-billion
Church...
From A1
The Jesuits said that looking away
will not solve the problem, but unity
behind concerted efforts and action
will reduce it.
Bacani said the case of 17-year-old
Kian delos Santos who was killed in
a police operation on Aug. 16 was
just one of the many extrajudicial
killings.
Police claimed that the grade 11
student was a drug runner who tried
to resist arrest and fired a gun at au-
thorities, prompting them to shoot
back, but the CCTV footage, eyewit-
nesses and the autopsy findings con-
tradicted their claims.
The abuses are saddening; those
involved should be held responsible
in front of society. Im asking the
Lord to forgive them and that their
conscience makes them ask God for
forgiveness and to attain it, but in our
society, they must be punished and
disciplined; we must not just consent
to their actions, Bacani said.
Though we wish to be in soli-
darity with all victims of injustice,
we must move beyond expressions
of outrage to constructive action,
Moreno said.
He said these actions may include
raising public awareness about the
evil of illegal drugs and by engaging
other people, especially the youth, to
stay away from vices.
The priest also rallied everyone to
get involved, to work together with
Church-based groups, the govern-
ment and civil society organizations.
The Jesuits said it is imperative for
everyone to rally behind the authori-
ties and crime-fighting initiatives.
It belongs to us all, Moreno said,
adding that the evil that attacks the
human should unite us, not divide
us.
Thats why the religious order
welcomed the call of Cardinal Luis
Antonio Tagle to a multi-sectoral di-
alogue to understand the drug prob-
lem in depth.
Saying that the drug menace, is
not just a political or criminal is-
sue, they said that it is evil that at-
tacks our humanity, even turning
policemen into murderers, and the
poor into the victims of their own
In boodle...
From A1
to end the slump in the sales of poul-
try and poultry products following
the Bird Flu scare.
Duterte then vowed to raise more
money using funds from the Philip-
pine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
to help poultry raisers in provinces
affected by the avian influenza.
Let us find out [how much would
be the cost] and maybe we can add
more. But [only what we can afford,
I will ask Andrea of Pagcor if they
have the funds], Duterte said, add-
ing his administration would raise
the money.
Ill try to find out in a few
weeks and maybe at the end of
the month... Just to add a little bit to
the amount that you have already re-
ceived, he said in a media interview.
During the event, the President led
the awarding of indemnity checks to
poultry raisers whose farms were de-
populated to prevent further spread
of bird flu virus.
Certificates of appreciation were
also given to agencies and local gov-
ernment units who worked together
to stamp out bird flu
To stamp out the outbreak and
minimize its impact to the country,
Agrarian...
From A1
Interviewed during the launching
of the Movement Against Tyranny
Coalition in Quezon City on Mon-
day, Tinio said this was due to Du-
tertes pronouncements on certain
issues and other progressive matters.
Leftist lawmakers at the House,
collectively called the Makabayan
bloc, are part of the House superma-
annual funding requested by
the Bureau of Customs to fill up
more than 3,000 vacant positions,
saying that was unnecessary.
He also pressed for the passage
of a new law requiring the pre-
shipment inspection abroad of all
imports bound for the Philippines.
Nobody can fix the rampant
corruption and gross inadequa-
security forces.
UN Special Rapporteur Agnes
Callamard once again became the
target of the Presidents shower of
expletives Monday, after she urged
an end to his war on drugs with the
death of Grade 11 student Kian de-
los Santos.
In a chance interview, Duterte
reacted profanely to Callamards
call that Delos Santos death should
be the last in the governments
cruel anti-drugs campaign.
T*** i** niya, sabihin mo. Hu-
wag niya akong takutin. P*****
i** niya. G*** pala siya eh [Son of
a bitch, tell her. She shouldnt try
to scare me. Son of a bitch. Shes
a fool.], the President said of the
French UN official.
Duterte accused Callamard of
speaking up before knowing more
about the situation on the ground.
He also said that even under French
laws, a suspect is guilty until he or
she proves his innocence.
Papuntahin mo dito. Tingnan
mo ang sitwasyon. Do not ever give
me that kind of shit. Republika ng
Pilipinas ito. Di ito teritoryo ng
France. Gago pala siya, di siya na-
kikinig sa sinasabi ko [Let her come
here. Look at the situation. Do not
ever give me that kind of shit. This
is the Republic of the Philippines,
not a territory of France. Shes
a fool for not listening to what I
said], he said.
Callamard earlier branded de-
los Santos death a murder, as she
called for an investigation on all
unlawful deaths.
Earlier, Duterte dared critics of
the governments war on drugs to
stage an uprising against him.
I will even send trucks for your
transportation. Go ahead. I am
waiting for that actually, so there
will be a change in president and a
new government that is working,
he said.
Callamard expressed regret over
Dutertes remarks against her.
I regret President Dutertes re-
sponse to my condolences to Kian
Lyod delos Santos family. Kian
and others like him deserve dignity
and justice. His family and fami-
lies like his demand our respect
and empathy. Not expletives, Cal-
lamard said.
Duterte said the government was un-
dertaking efforts such as the culling
of affected fowls, which was com-
pleted on Aug. 24.
The President likewise expressed
gratitude to the local officials and
people of Pampanga and Nueva Ecija
for their solidarity and cooperation
in quickly stamping out avian flu in
the affected areas.
I thank everyone here today for
playing their respective roles in the
implementation of isolation and
quarantine measures towards the
eventual elimination of avian flu in
the country, he said.
Duterte also apologized for con-
stantly coughing throughout his less
than 16-minute speech after an aller-
gic reaction following his exposure
to flowers.
I just came from a wreath laying
ceremony. I am allergic to flowers...
I cannot tolerate flowers, Duterte
said.
Joining Duterte were Pampanga
Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Na-
tional Security Adviser Hermogenes
Esperon, Communications Secre-
tary Martin Andanar, Agriculture
Secretary Emmanuel Piol, Pam-
panga Gov. Lilia Pineda, Bulacan
Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, and
former Leyte congressman Martin
Romualdez. John Paolo Bencito
jority led by allies of Duterte.
The seven-member group includes
Tinio and fellow ACT Teachers Par-
ty-list Rep. France Castro, Bayan
Munas Carlos Zarate, Gabriela
Womens Partys Emmi de Jesus and
Arlene Brosas, Anakpawis Ariel
Casilao and Kabataans Sarah Elago.
Tinio said there was no longer
basis to continue the alliance with
Duterte, given the Presidents stance
on several issues that the Makabayan
bloc feels strongly against.
News
cy at the BoC. Not even Isidro
Lapea, said Atienza, referring
to the outgoing director of the
Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency who will take his oath
on Tuesday as the new Customs
commissioner.
Theres no point in wasting
billions of pesos to double the
number of Customs staff.
Meanwhile, Rep. Raneo Abu
on Monday defended the House
committee on dangerous drugs
decision not to include former
and active basketball players from
criminal prosecution as a result of
their employment at the Bureau of
Customs as technical assistants.
The liability falls on those
who hired and approved their
employment if they were quali-
fied or not, Abu said.
Iloilo...
From A1
the assignment in Leyte, he
said in a speech at the National
Heroes Day commemoration at
the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
You asked for another assign-
ment in Ozamiz. Now, you want
to be assigned to Iloilo because
Mabilog has been identified as a
protector-mayor. Will he remain
alive?
Towards the end of his speech,
Duterte announced he was send-
ing Espenido, whom he awarded
the Magalong Medal, Order
of Lapu-Lapu, to the Western
Visayas city.
He is a dedicated man, said
Duterte of Espenido in a chance
interview. He knows his law.
So he should replicate his ex-
ploits in other parts of the coun-
try. He wants to be assigned in
Iloilo, I will assign him there.
Duterte reminded Espenido
to follow the rules of engage-
ment and that murder and
homicide or whatever unlawful
killing is not allowed.
In a radio interview, Espenido
said that he was not surprised by
the Presidents announcement
as he gave an early warning to
Mabilog.
See you in Iloilo, Espenido
said.
He added that is never his
style to rely on rumors, specula-
tion and second-hand informa-
tion.
On my own, I really work so
I myself can be sure that there
are illegal drugs, he said in Fili-
pino.
Espenido added he constantly
receives information on peo-
ple engaged in narcotics trade,
yet he considers these reports
as mere leads in the campaign
against drug lords.
In previous speeches, Duterte
Rody...
From A1
Dante Jimenez and Annie
Jereza of the Volunteers Against
Crime and Corruption and Public
Attorneys Office Chief Persida
Acosta were also present during
the meeting.
Malacaang said the filing of
a criminal complaint against the
Caloocan policemen underscores
this resolve of the government.
Kian was killed on Aug.t 16
during an anti-drug operation in
Caloocan City conducted by the
Philippine National Police. The
policemen said Kian was a drug
courier who tried to run then shot
at them, prompting them to shoot
back.
The claim, however, was con-
tradicted by CCTV footage, eye-
witnesses and autopsy findings
that Kian had no gunpowder resi-
due in either hand, indicating he
AFP...
From A1
Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokes-
woman of the Western Mindanao
Command, said the 10 terrorists
were on board two motorized pump
boats when they were spotted cruis-
ing toward Marawi City.
Tinio said they had yet to decide
whether they would join the Magnif-
icent 7 or the Minority bloc in case
they formally withdraw their support
to the Duterte administration.
The oppositions against Mariano
were filed by the following:
1. Joint sworn opposition of Mr.
Noel A. Mallari, et al.;
2. Sworn opposition of Mr. Ma-
nuel O. Gallego, Jr.;
3. Sworn opposition of Mr. Ricar-
do V. Quintos;
Abu was commenting on the
report of the panel led by Rep.
Robert Ace Barbers on the al-
leged attempt to smuggle in P6.4-
billion shabu from Customs,
which is now being signed by its
members for final approval.
Atienza authored House Bill
6220, which calls for the compul-
sory pre-shipment inspection or
advance clearance of all foreign
cargoes headed for the Philippines.
He said Customs had been set
up to fail in its mission to pro-
tect the country against illegal
shipments and to collect the ex-
act import duties and taxes.
He said rotten Customs offi-
cials and employees did not want
the bureau to succeed in its job.
They want the BoC to stay
inefficient because they thrive
alleged that Iloilo province is a
bedrock of illegal drug trading
in the Visayas regionan alle-
gation already denied by local
officials.
Espenido earlier led the raids
on the houses of the Parojinog
clan in July that led to the death
of Parojinog and 14 others.
Before that, he was police
chief of Albuera, Leyte, when
Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
was killed in a police raid in his
jail cell inside the sub-provincial
prison in Baybay City.
Mabilog welcomed Espeni-
dos assignment to his city.
I look forward to working
side by side with Chief Inspec-
tor Espenido as the Presidents
point-man in the battle against
illegal drugs in Iloilo, both city
and province, the Iloilo City
mayor, a second cousin to Sena-
tor Franklin Drilon, told the Pa-
nay News.
I am sure that we could learn
something about his anti-drug
strategy, including the identifi-
cation of new players and where
are they hiding, he said in Fili-
pino.
Drilon said given Espenidos
track record, his appointment to
Iloilo City was a cause for con-
cern.
Nevertheless, Drilon said,
the peace-loving, cultured, and assertion that Espenidos desig-
law abiding Ilongos welcome
him to Iloilo City.
The President named Ma-
bilog as a drug protector and
called Iloilo the capital of the
drug trade, and said the prov-
ince was the most shabu-
lized in the country.
Earlier this month, Mabilog
said his city is drug-free despite
Dutertes pronouncement. How-
ever, the mayor conceded he
could not help but worry follow-
ing the deaths of Espinosa and
Parojinog.
The name of Espenido hogged
did not shoot at the police.
Lorenza said politicians should
stop trying to ride on the case.
All we want is justice for the
death of our son, she said in Fili-
pino. Thats all.
Malacaang had earlier tried to
play down the case, but later said
the law should be allowed to run
its course.
Also on Monday, Justice Sec-
retary Vitaliano Aguirre II said
student leaders who asked him to
inhibit himself in the Kian delos
Santos case were misinformed.
These so called student lead-
ers are misinformed or ignorant of
our procedures at the DoJ. I will
not even touch that case, Aguirre
said in a text message.
Student leaders from various
organizations and schools said
Aguirre should inhibit himself
from Kians case following his
biased pronouncements against
Kian.
The students said they fear that
The troops were fired upon as
they approached, and that started
the firefight that lasted for about
three hours, Petinglay said.
She said five of the terrorists were
killed instantly, while the other five
were killed after they tried to escape.
The plan of the terrorists was
earlier reported to us, and that is
why it was easier for patrolling spe-
4. Joint sworn opposition of Mr.
Rodel Mesa and Mr. Angelito Bais;
5. Joint sworn opposition of Rob-
erto Nidera, et al.;
6. Barangay Resolution of Baran-
gay Sta. Catalina, Tarlac City, Tarlac
7. Barangay Resolution of Baran-
gay Asturias, Tarlac City, Tarlac
8. Barangay Resolution of Baran-
gay Motrico, La Paz, Tarlac
9. Sworn opposition of Mr. Ed-
gar V. Aguas
10. Joint sworn opposition of Mr.
on inefficiencybecause cor-
ruption thrives on inefficiency,
Atienza said.
The day the bureau becomes
truly effective at its job is also the
day corrupt examiners and agents
lose their lucrative rackets.
Atienza said the only viable in-
tervention left was for Congress
to require the prior screening
overseas of all shipments des-
tined for the Philippines.
Once we have pre-shipment
inspection, the BoC will actu-
ally need fewer staff because the
bureau will be performing less
work, Atienza said.
In the proposed P3.767-trillion
General Appropriations Act
for 2018, Customs is seeking to
spend an additional P4.2 billion
to fill up 3,233 vacant positions.
the headlines following the
death of Espinosa, father of the
alleged Eastern Visayas drug
lord Kerwin, who was shot in-
side his jail cell in Baybay City,
Leyte.
Espenido was also the police
commander of Albuera, Leyte
when Espinosa Sr. was killed
in what the National Bureau of
Investigation called a rubout in-
side the jail.
Espinosa and Kerwin were
among the drug suspects tagged
by Duterte. The President even
gave them an ultimatum to sur-
render. The mayor heeded Du-
tertes call but still died in his
cell.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said
he trusts Espenido knows what
to do.
Despite the Presidents obvi-
ous threat, Lacson said, it was
Espenidos responsibility to up-
hold the rule of law and follow
the rules of engagement.
I knew him as a focused,
diligent and upright police non
commissioned officer when
he was working with me at the
defunct PAOCTF [Presidential
Anti-Organized Crime Task
Force] 17 years ago, said Lac-
son, a former police chief.
Senate Majority Leader Vi-
cente Sotto III rejected Drilons
nal conflicts.
nation as Iloilo City police chief
was a cause for alarm.
Not at all. All the local of-
ficials have to do is stay away
clear of illegal drugs. Nothing
to worry about. Unless they in-
sist and fight back, then thats
their problem, Sotto said.
Philippine National Police
chief Director General Ron-
ald dela Rosa said Mabilog had
nothing to fear with the assign-
ment of Espenido to his city.
Dela Rosa said the mayor
should only be frightened if he
is doing something illegal.
with Aguirre on the frontline, the
case against Kian could be white-
washed.
But Aguirres said he had not
handled a single case since he as-
sumed office at the Department of
Justice last year.
At the moment, the prosecu-
tors at the National Prosecution
Service will handle it. Even on
appeal, I will not handle the case.
The cases on appeal are assigned
to my five undersecretaries. They
will not be brought to me for any
action before filing in court, or
their dismissal, Aguirre said.
Kians family through the
Public Attorneys Office filed
murder and torture complaints
against Caloocan City Station
7 Police Chief Inspector Amor
Cerillo, Police Officer 3 Arnel
Oares and Police Officers 1 Jer-
emiah Pereda and Jerwin Cruz
and several John Does. John
Paolo Bencito, Rey E. Requejo
and Bill Casas
cial forces riverine units and mari-
time policemen to detect and neu-
tralize the movement, said Lt. Gen.
Carlito Galvez, head of the Western
Mindanao Command.
The recent accomplishment of
our ground forces only shows the
successful coordination made by
our troops and the local government
units. With PNA
Manolito B. Dagatan and Mr. Her-
nani P. Geronimo
In a text message, Senate Major-
ity Leader Vicente Sotto III said it
would be difficult for the CA to come
up with a decision by Wednesday.
We have to listen first, Sotto,
chairman of the CA committee on
agrarian reform, said.
Members of the Makabayan bloc
earlier said they expected Mariano,
former Anakpawis Party-list solon,
to be rejected by the CA.
price
hikes
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE oil companies raised pump
prices by P0.35 per liter of gaso-
line and P0.20 per liter of diesel
and kerosene starting at 12:01
a.m. today, saying world oil
prices had gone up.
Eastern Petroleum, Flying V
and Unioil Philippines issued
separate advisories on the price
increases.
Please be advised that East-
ern Petroleum will hike the price
of gasoline by P0.35 per liter and
diesel by P0.20 per liter at 6AM,
August 29, 2017, Eastern Petro-
leum said.
The other oil companies were
expected to follow suit.
On Aug. 22, the oil compa-
nies also raised the price of
gasoline, and by P0.20 per liter,
but rolled back the prices of die-
sel and kerosene by P0.10 and
P0.15 per liter, respectively.
Crude oil prices went up af-
ter official figures showed a
larger-than-expected decline in
US crude stocks, the Energy De-
partment said in its latest moni-
toring report.
Data showing six consecutive
weeks of decline in US crude in-
ventories added to the optimism
that the market was rebalanc-
ing.
US oil inventories fell by 6.5
million barrels to 474.4 million
barrels early this month.
But Asian gasoline prices
stayed elevated on tight supply
as well as the relatively good de-
mand in Asia and in the Middle
East.
Ample supply from Libya,
with production in July hitting
its highest level for the year,
dampened prices.
Rising output from Nigeria
and Libya dented the oil produc-
ers attempt to limit oil produc-
tion, the Energy Department
said.
Both countries are exempted
from the output cut as they strive
to restore supplies hurt by inter-
Libya seizes oil
tanker, detains
Filipino crew
TRIPOLI, LibyaThe Libyan
navy said Monday it has seized
an oil tanker near the maritime
border with Tunisia and detained
the 20-member Filipino crew on
suspicion of fuel smuggling.
Navy spokesman Gen. Ayoub
Kacem said the vessel was in-
tercepted on Sunday off Abu
Kamash, 170 kilometers west of
Tripoli, and its crew transported
to the capital to appear before
the prosecutor general.
The Liberian-flagged tanker
belonging to a Greek company
was loaded with six million lit-
ers of contraband fuel, he said.
Plunged into conflict and po-
litical chaos since a 2011 revo-
lution that ousted and killed
Libyas longtime leader Col.
Moammar Kadhafi, oil smug-
gling to Tunisia, Malta and
Tunisia has become a lucrative
trade. AFP
Taguiwalo...
From A1
Last Friday, Faeldon and Duterte
met at Davao City, two days after
the latter accepted his resignation
as Customs chief.
I told him to take a few days off.
We will talk about histalk about
everything after that. Duterte told
reporters after leading the National
Heroes Day commemoration at the
Libigan ng mga Bayani.
The reason why it took me
time, because Congress was inves-
tigating or still investigating it. he
added.
At a chance interview during an
Agriculture department event here ,
Duterte, however, expressed uncer-
tainty if Faeldon would still like to
take on another government post.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier
claimed that Faeldon received P100
million as welcome gift right
after assuming his position at the
Bureau of Customs.
Duterte, meanwhile, announced
that Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency Director General Isidro
Lapea would take over Faeldons
post as Customs chief. John Paolo
Bencito
 News TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 A3

Subway
system
completed
in 8 years
By Joel E. Zurbano
BUILDING the subway train
system, which government of-
ficials describe as one of the
long term solutions to solve
the worsening traffic situation
in the metropolis, will take at
least eight years.
It will start within the Du-
terte administration, and will
take eight years at least. There
will be a signing [agreement]
between Japan and the Philip-
pine before the end of the year
and the process will start early
next year, said Thomas Orbos,
general manager of the Metro
Manila Development Authority.
This will be a 27-kilom-
eter [subway] from Taguig
FTI [Food Terminal Institute]
to Mindanao Avenue [Quezon
City], he added.
Orbos, also the concurrent
Transportation Undersecre-
tary for Road, said the Japan
International Cooperation
Agency is now conducting a BOODLE FIGHT. President Rodrigo Duterte feasts on various poultry dishes in a boodle fight Monday at San Fernando, Pampanga to assure the public on the safe consumption of
feasibility study for the sub- commercially sold poultry and poultry products amid the bird flu outbreak in Central Luzon. Joining him were former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, National Security Adviser
way system, which is in line Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piol, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda, Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and other local officials. John Paolo J. Bencito
with governments Build
Build Build program.
The subway system, to be

Higher hospital fees feared

patterned after those in Hong
Kong and Japan, will start
from the area of Trinoma Mall
at the intersection of Epifanio
de los Santos Avenue and
North Avenue in Quezon City
and end at the Food Terminal By Macon Ramos-Araneta communications, utilities and General Hospital P12.435 mil- medicines and vaccines amount-
Inc. in Taguig City. salaries of contractual employ- lion (58.8 percent) cut and Re- ing to P15.5 billion are lump sum

It will be designed to with-
stand a magnitude 8.0 earth-
quake, since the nearby
Marikina Valley Fault System
can reach a magnitude of 7.2-
7.6 on the scale.
The subway train is also ex-
pected to reduce the time it takes
to travel from Quezon City to
Taguig in just 31 minutes.
The solution [to traffic] re-
ally is subway, railway and ad-
equate public transport, said
Orbos.
Traffic in the National Capi-
tal Region caused an estimated
productivity loss of around
P2.4 billion a day or more than
P800 billion a year.
T
ees and other hospital operat- gion 1 Medical Center, Ilocos budget which is centralized at the
HE Alliance of Health Workers, a national ing budget. P49.8 million (58.8 percent) cut. Department of Health.
organization of health workers and its Mendoza said the following Even the budget for Amai Pa- Why not allocate these budg-
allied services, has warned that the huge public hospitals that will suffer kpak Medical Centers in Marawi ets to the MOOE of public hos-
from huge budget cuts for 2018 City was cut down to a P33.3 pitals so that the poor can access
cut in the 2018 budget of the Department of are the following: Research In- million (51.75 percent). the free and affordable health
Health will force public hospitals to generate stitute for Tropical Medicine Mendoza said that while the services, he asked.
income for their operations by collecting higher (RITM) - P 144.8 million (56.6 government prioritizes budget Cristy Donguines, president of
percent) cut; Amang Rodriguez for Philhealth by increasing the a health group at Jose Reyes Me-
fees from patients. Medical Center P36.239 mil- allotment from the 2017 budget morial Medical Center in Manila
lion (44.9 percent) cut and Quiri- of P53.221 billion to 2018 which said health workers continue to
This will lead to corporatiza- public hospitals was cut down no Memorial Medical Center is P57.127 billion, an increase be overworked and underpaid.
tion/privatization of public hospitals by P1.5 billion. P42.15 million (34.6 percent) cut. of P3.906 billion does not mean She said that in the JRMC
and eventually the entire health care The total budget for MOOE for He said the Regional Medi- that all people can have access to Male Surgical Ward, there are
system, the AHW said. this year is P5.3 billion while the cal Centers that will also suffer affordable medical care. only two nurses for every 59 pa-
Robert T. Mendoza, RM - proposed 2018 budget for MOOE budget cuts are the Southern Mendoza said the budget for tients while at the Women Sur-
AHW National president, said was reduced to P3.74 billion. Philippines Medical Center in Assistance to Indigent Patients gical Ward, there are also teo
the Maintenance and Other Op- MOOE covers the budget for Davao- P270.8 million (71.89 amounting P4.3 billion and the nurses for every 64 patients in-
erating Expenses budget of the medicines, medical supplies, percent) cut, Southern Isabela Purchase and Allocation of drugs, cluding the stroke unit.

Smuggled shabu Judge

middleman recused
sent to Pque jail in case vs
By Rey E. Requejo
Parojinogs
JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday said By Rey E. Requejo
businessman Kenneth Dong has been transferred to the Par-
aaque City Jail. ONE of the judges assigned
He was transferred upon orders of the court. The NBI had to handle the criminal cases
no choice but to follow the courts order, Aguirre said. against Parojinog siblings
Dong was arrested by members of the National Bureau of Inves- Ozamiz City Vice Mayor
tigation last Aug. 15 after a Senate hearing on the shipment of over Nova Princess and Reynaldo
P6 billion worth of shabu charges pursuant to a warrant issued by Jr. has recused from the case.
the Paraaque Regional Trial Court, Branch 195, on charges of rape. In a one-page order dated
Aguirre said that the NBI complied with the courts order Aug. 8, 2017, Judge Salome P.
because they do not see any risk to his security. Dungog of Ozamiz City Re-
We could not find any security risk for his transfer, the gional Trial Court, Branch 35,
Justice secretary said. has inhibited from the case
Dong is a witness in the Congressional inquiry being the al- due to her compulsory retire-
leged middleman for the shipment of the 604 kilos of shabu. ment this month.
NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Vicente De Guzman On the ground of com-
said they have discovered the pending warrant of arrest af- pulsory retirement from
ter they conducted a background check on the personalities public service of the Presid-
linked to the shabu shipment. ing Judge of this court this
Dong is also one of the respondents in the drug traffick- monthAugust 2017, hav-
NO TO 4-DAY WORKWEEK. A nationwide organization of workers in private, public, agricultural, informal, ing no more time to hear or
ing charges filed by NBI before the Department of Justice, in transport, health, education, migrant, women and youth sectors celebrates National Heroes Day by honoring
connection with the P6.4 billion shabu seized last May 26 in workers and denouncing the passage of the Compressed Workweek bill, which they label as pro-foreign try the cases or motions in
two warehouses in Valenzuela City. investors. Manny Palmero connection thereof which
require or need immediate
action as well as for reason
of delecadeza in order to

Waive unpaid irrigation fees, group asks NIA
By Rio N. Araja
and Bill Casas
INDEBTED by millions of
pesos in back accounts to the
National Irrigation Author-
ity, farmers from Mindanao
urged on Monday Administrator
Ricardo Visaya to waive their
unpaid fees.
Virgilio Lincuna of the Kilu-
sang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in
the Caraga Administrative Re-
gion or Region 13 lamented that
despite the lack of irrigation and
water supply in their areas, they
were charged with obligatory ir-
rigation service fees.
The affected farmers are set to
storm NIA central office in Quezon
City today in protest and to seek a
dialogue with Visaya, whom they
dubbed as the Hacienda Luisita
massacre ex-general.
Despite NIAs P38.6-billion
budget for 2017, local NIA of-
fices continued to collect irri-
gation service fees even during
calamities or production losses,
Lincuna said.
But farmers fear that the multi-
billion NIA budget will be squan-
dered to corruption and will not be
used to provide the much-needed
support services for farmers.
KMP said that for fiscal year
2018, NIA is requesting a budget
allocation of more than P40 billion.
The KMP said this and other
similar situation of farmers na-
tionwide prove that NIA is not
following its own Memorandum
Circular No. 13 series of 2017 or
the Guidelines on Free Irrigation.
Farmers fear that the multibil-
lion NIA budget will be squan-
dered to corruption and will not be
used to provide the much-needed
support services for farmers.
KMP said, for fiscal year 2018,
NIA is requesting a budget alloca-
tion of more than P40 billion.
The agency was constrained
to cut the water supply and im-
pose high interest rates due to
the farmers failure to pay on
time, he added.
Worse, NIA also threatened to
confiscate lands of farmers who
failed to pay irrigation fees. NIA
in Caraga has previously figured
in corruption due to unfinished ir-
rigation systems worth P190 mil-
lion, the KMPs statement read.
Farmers from other regions
are similarly situated, Lincuna
said, adding NIA is not follow-
ing its own Memorandum Circu-
lar No. 13 of 2017, or the guide-
lines on free irrigation.
preclude doubt or suspicion
from both parties concerned
the undersigned hereby
inhibits from handling the
same, Judge Dungog said.
Nova Princess is facing
trial for violation of Republic
Act 9165 or the Comprehen-
sive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002, specifically Section 11
for possession of dangerous
drugs and violation of illegal
possession of firearms and
ammunition under Section 28
of Republic Act 10591 or the
Comprehensive Firearms and
Ammunition Regulation Act.
A4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
EDITORIAL
The Andy show
A
FTER damning revelations by his
wife, Commission on Elections
Chairman Andres Bautista now faces
an impeachment case before Congress.
Former Negros Orien- The impeachment
tal Rep. Jacinto Paras complaint, endorsed by
and lawyer Ferdinand Cebu Rep. Gwen Gar-
Topacio filed a com- cia and Kabayan Rep.
plaint against Bautista Harry Roque, also cited
for betrayal of public Bautistas admission
trust for failing to ad- that he had received re-
dress the hacking of the ferral fees from Smart-
Comelec website in 2015 matic, the company that
and for not disclosing provided technology for
his assets in his State- the 2016 polls, through
ment of Assets, Liabili- the Divina Law Office.
ties and Net Worth. Bautista is also
Better luck next time
cally opposed to the position of
LOWDOWN their politician-advocates, who
insisted that the boys death was
JOJO A. on Duterte and, according to
ROBLES their shriller partisans, grounds
for his ouster.
I KNEW that the political weap- And its impossible for anyone
onizing of the tragic death of to be more outraged that the De-
Kian Loyd delos Santos, the los Santoses when it comes to Ki-
young man from Caloocan City ans killing by three policemen.
who was killed by three police Which means that the shameless
officers, was on its last legs attempt to link Duterte to Kians
when President Rodrigo Duterte death has just been irreversibly
refused to be baited into defend- deflated, because how else can
ing the cops who gunned Kian the meeting by interpreted but
down. I didnt expect that Du- as a vote of confidence in the
terte himself would write finis Presidents promise to bring the
to the cynical repurposing of the perpetrators to justice?
(By the way, special mention
teenagers death and the genu-
must be made of the boneheaded
ine outrage (as opposed to the
fake variety displayed by certain play of Senator Risa Hontiveros,
politicians) that grew out of the who took three witnesses into
incident by meeting with Kians her personal custody while
parents in Malacaan Palace. they awaited summonses to the
It is indisputable that Kians various investigations of Kians
death. It turned out that the wit-
parents, Saldy and Lorenza, did
not believe that the President had nesses were minors whose par-
their son killed. This is diametri- ents didnt even know that the
ManilaStandard
can be accessed at:
Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard
ONLINE thestandard.com.ph
Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, MEMBER
PPI
corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers
832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments),
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(Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933,
Manila Central Post Ofce, Manila. Website: www.thestandard.
of Philippine Newspapers
com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph
Opinion
accused of obstructing
justice for playing
down script changes
in the transparency
server during last years
election.
The House justice
committee said it would
act swiftly on the com-
plaint; it appears a trial
at the Senate will soon
follow.
We dont look forward
to the circus. Weve seen
at least two such trials
and they have a way of
absorbing the nations
attention, rightly or
wrongly. The fact that
senator had taken their children
without their consent; thats how
badly the Yellows wanted to use
Kians killing against Duterte
they didnt even stop to think if
They wanted
justice and are
convinced that
Duterte can give
them that, or
they would never
have met him.
what they were doing was still
legal or no longer so.)
Here I am reminded of two
supposed witnesses of the same
politicians against Duterte in
Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno
Anita F. Grefal
Baldwin R. Felipe
Edgar M. Valmorida
Mrs. Bautista may just
be called to the stand
spousal privilege
can only be invoked in
criminal cases, experts
saywould just am-
plify the entertainment
factor people can derive
from peeking into oth-
ers marital woes.
We are sure Mr. Bau-
tista would not want to
take part in this specta-
cle, too.
The only question we
are interested in asking
is whether Mr. Bautista
compromised the in-
tegrity of the elections
the investigation of the alleged
Davao Death Squad earlier this
year. But Edgar Matobato and
Arturo Lascanas were obviously
given a prepared script that they
were somehow convinced to
stick to, no matter how incred-
ible, conflicting and illogical
their statements became after-
wards.
The key difference between
the Delos Santos couple and the
two supposed star witnesses in
the DDS probe is that Saldy and
Lorenza did not have any politi-
cal agenda rammed down their
throats by their minders. They
just wanted justice for their
sonand they are convinced
that Duterte can give them that,
or else they would never have
agreed to meet the President.
Again, I must state that there
was a lot of real anger generated
by the death of Kian, and this
should not be ignored or belit-
tled. But the politicians ruined
it all when they tried to harness
Chairman
Ramonchito L. Tomeldan
Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Chin Wong/Ray S. Eano
Treasury Manager
OIC-Ad Solutions
Circulation Manager
by acts that unduly en-
riched him or earned
him influence. Outside
of that, everything else
is noise.
This question, too,
will best be determined
in a court of law, a tri-
er of facts. Certainly a
hearing at the Senate
would just muddle the
issue, given some law-
makers propensity to
grandstand. It might en-
tice us with juicy details
but establish little about
the real national interest
that is at stake.
Chairman Bautista
this anger for their partisan po-
litical ends.
I can only wish Dutertes foes
better luck next time, using the
next controversy that may just
bring him down. And watch as
all those fake Kian backers flee
the scene of their scandalous
crime.
***
A Makati City prosecutor
has found probable cause to sue
three persons for syndicated
estafa for allegedly duping the
owners of a corporation into in-
vesting a total of P21.6 million
in a company they formed, after
which the investment was never
included in the capitalization of
the new outfit. City Prosecutor
Jorge Catalan Jr. said there is
reason to charge Marvin Lim, a
native of Dagupan City, Pangasi-
nan, his sister Brigette Lim and
Gian Marlo Lee with syndicated
estafa based on the complaint of
Half Moon Inc.
Turn to A5
Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher
Managing Editor
Associate Editors
Joyce Pangco Paares City Editor
Adelle Chua Opinion Editor
Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board
Adelle Chua, Editor
should listen to his fel-
low commissioners
and take a leave of ab-
sence. Still a better op-
tion would be to resign.
What befell him, wheth-
er or not he is to blame,
is most unfortunate,
but he must weather his
storm on his own not
at the expense of the in-
stitution he is mandated
to lead. It is unimagi-
nable how anyone can
seek to clear his name
or come clean about his
mistakes while carrying
out the daunting tasks
of an election chief.
Voices
of the
Catholic
Church
THIS past week, some of the
strongest voices protesting
against the brutal execution by
criminal police officers of Kian
de los Santos were from the
Catholic Church. If there is any
institution that can stop the mas-
sacre of the poor, it is the Church.
Ravenous wolves are killing the
weakest and poorest of the flock;
we need our shepherds to active-
ly stop this. 13,000 have been
killed and we will exceed 20,000
casualties by the end of the year,
and get to 50,000-60,000 by the
end of Dutertes term with the
certainty, admitted by the Presi-
dent himself, that even then the
war against drugs would not
have been won.
The voices we heard from
the Church were diverse, some
very personal like that of Fr. Joel
Tabora SJ, president of Ateneo
de Davao, and Bishop Ambo Da-
vid of Caloocan where Kian and
his family lived. Cardinal Chito
Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, and
Fr. Tony Moreno SJ, outgoing
Provincial of the Society of Jesus
were more prescriptive but their
words were just as important.
Fr. Joel took the death of Kian
personally. He recalled that when
he was 17, he was still in first year
college. According to Fr. Joel:
That today is the equivalent of
eleventh grade. At seventeen,
when I was pondering the dif-
ferences between marriage and
the priesthood, between manage-
ment engineering and joining
the Society of Jesus, I was the
age of Kian de los Santos in the
same academic level as he. That
Kian was framed, shot and killed
in a police action gone rogue, at
a time when his life was yet un-
folding, is a matter of deep per-
sonal pain for me. It could have
been me at seventeen. It could
have ended all. In the case of
Kian, it did end all. The death
of Kian is not defensible. He was
only seventeen. Think of all the
possibilities killed. Think of his
goodness extinguished. Think of
his bereaved family, friends and
nation, Fr. Joel laments.
Of course, as Fr. Joel points
out, we must fight the war on
drugs, which is a battle for hu-
man life, for human dignity and
the integrity of human society
in the Philippine context. This
is echoed by Fr. Moreno who
describes the menace of illegal
drugs as real and destructive.
Fr. Tony argues that the evil
that attacks the human with the
power of the demonic, should
unite us, not divide us; Instead
of turning our weapons on one
Turn to A5
Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor
Romel J. Mendez Art Director
Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

A problem of
health and poverty
IT DOES not appear as though
President Rodrigo Duterte can
end the war against drugs by
the end of his term.
Note that what he is saying
now is completely different
from what he said in his first
year in office. Then, he was
so confident he could end the
menace.
Now he is realizing the prob-
lem cannot be solved that fast,
even if he orders his police
force to go after anybody sus-
pected of drug involvement.
This war has also spawned
collateral damage, like extraju-
dicial killings. Thousands have
been killed, and most of them
come from poor communities!
This only validates what I
have been saying for so long
nowthat the drug problem
has roots in poverty and health
issues.
Why poverty? Look at all
those killed in police opera-
tions. Many of them come from
depressed neighborhoods.
They become addicts to forget
their misery,
and then turn
to drug push-
ing later on
so they can
finance their
The drug
habit. menace cannot
Why health?
Drug addic- be eradicated in
tion is both so short a time.
psychologi-
cal and physi-
ological. They
must be reha-
bilitated.
This is why the killings must
stop. Killing drug suspects nev-
er solves anything. It only wors-
ens the problem.
Now there is outrage among
the people. We only have to
recall history and what protest
movements eventually lead to.
The fact that illegal drugs are
being smuggled through the Bu-
reau of Customs tells us that the
demand is there. So long as there
is demand, the drug problem
will not end. We see how cor-
rupt our Customs bureau can be
especially given our porous bor-
ders. It is just so difficult to stop
the entry of illegal drugs!
This is why the President
must stop the killings. He must
learn from the mistakes of other
countries.
As for the case of Kian Loyd
delos Santos, I can only echo
what Malacaang is saying.
Those responsible for his mur-
der should pay the price!
***
The nation marked National
Heroes Day yesterday.
Sadly enough, as revealed by
Manila Times columnist and
former Ambassador to Greece
Rigoberto Tiglao, we do not
have national heroes because
Better...
From A4
Records showed that in
September 2015, Lee asked HMI
to invest in a company they were
putting together for the sales and
distribution of automotive oils
and lubricants to be called Alpha
Dragon Trade and Marketing
Corp., which will have an
authorized capital stock of P10
million, divided into 100,000
shares valued at P100 each.
As proposed by Lee, Mar-
vin Lim would be the principal
shareholder, while Half Moon
would have 40 percent of the to-
tal shares. HMI put in P625,000
as initial payment for its sub-
scription, followed by P16 mil-
lion and P5 million after that.
Lim and Lee furnished HMI a
copy of Alpha Dragons articles
of incorporation purportedly
filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, which
stated that HMI was an Alpha
Dragon investor with a paid-up
subscription of P250,000. But
when no stockholders meeting
was ever called and after HMI
was not given any updates on
TO THE
POINT
EMIL P.
JURADO
our most eminent historians
cannot seem to agree on who is
fit to be called a national hero.
There are reports that the Yel-
lows are making things worse
because they want to include
Ninoy Aquino as their hero.
Speaking of national heroes,
I recall the Battle of Bessang
Pass at the border of Ilocos Sur
and Mountain Province. The
infamous Japanese General
Yamashita and his men made
their last stand there.
I believe that the 1,200 Iloca-
nos and Igorots who sacrificed
their lives in this battle should
also be regarded as heroes. My
own brother, former Court of
Appeals Justice Desi Jurado,
was part of this group that led
the assault.
***
What do we do about the cor-
ruption at Customs?
The Duterte administration
has been challenged to solve
this problem at the agency. It
has been having difficulty. For-
mer Captain Nicanor Faeldon,
supposedly
an honest
man who re-
volted against
cor r uption,
could not
do anything
about this
problem at
Customs.
And now
the agency
has a new
commission-
er. Can former Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency head
Isidro Lapeas step up and curb
corruption?
During the Marcos era, Fi-
nance secretary Cesar Virata
hired the Swiss-based Societe
Generale de Surveillace for
pre-shipment valuation. The
system worked, for a while.
Soon enough, though, even
the SGS people were corrupted
by the syndicates, which led to
a review of the contract with the
government.
I think the solution is the pri-
vatization of the entry of ship-
ments across all ports. This will
also do away with the practice
of politicians of interfering
with Customs operations, even
having their own people ap-
pointed to choice spots.
***
I want to congratulate my
good friend, former vice
governor of Laguna Totoy
Tingson, for the promotion
of his daughter Col. Rodylyn
Tingson Manzano as brigade
commander of the 7th Marine
Brigade to Brigadier General
the first woman to hold such a
position.
Totoy must be so proud.
Congratulations!
its investments, the latter got
understandably worried.
Lims group eventually in-
formed HMI that it was not a
registered subscriber of Alpha
Dragon, and had no legal right
to intervene in Alpha Dragons
internal affairs. The HMI rep-
resentatives signature was also
deleted in the article of incorpo-
rations and replaced with that of
an authorized representative
named Jennifer Latil, who was
reportedly an SEC employee.
Lee denied any part in the al-
leged fraud, and tagged Lim as
the chief architect of the plot
to dupe HMI. The Lim sib-
lings also denied HMIs accu-
sations, insisting that the P16
million could not be considered
as subscription because HMIs
P21-million contributions were
considered mere liabilities of
Alpha Dragon.
Catalan junked this argu-
ment. No person in his right
mind would infuse P21 million
in a company if the said amount
would only be listed in its finan-
cial records as a mere liability,
without being secured by any
collateral, real of personal, his
ruling stated.
Opinion
Forget about infrastructure
FORMATION
GARY
OLIVAR
DRIVING home last week along
C-5, I was overwhelmed by a sud-
den desire for hototai. I stopped by
Comida China (just before Rock-
well Grove) for a poquito serving
of their piping hot soup, washed
down with two glasses of ripe
mango shakegreat for the palate
but very bad for the sugar count.
On my way out, I ran into Karl
Kendrick Chua, the Finance un-
dersecretary whos running the
administrations tax reform pro-
gress through Congress. Karl is
impossibly boyish-looking, a col-
league in the Foundation for Eco-
nomic Freedom, and ADBs chief
economist for the Philippines be-
fore he was dragooned into public
service at DOF.
It was from him that I heard the
latest gloomy update on tax re-
form. The so-called TRAIN bill
(Tax Reform for Acceleration
and Inclusion) is the first of five
tranches of tax reform legislation
being sent up to Congress by the
Duterte administration. Unfortu-
nately, the version passed by the
Lower House reduced the project-
ed net tax gain from TRAIN by
P30 billion, mainly to accommo-
date tax breaks for cooperatives.
Now in the Senate, the emascu-
lated TRAIN bill may be shrunk
even further, by up another P40-B,
Another publicity stunt from Robredo
HAIL TO
THE CHAIR
VICTOR
AVECILLA
THE camp of Leni Robredo, the
purported Vice President of the
Philippines, never seems to run
out of gimmicks designed to pro-
mote her image.
Robredo is the purported vice
president of the country because
her claim to the office is current-
ly contested before the Supreme
Court sitting as the Presidential
Electoral Tribunal (PET). Rightly
so, because the recent allegations
against Andres Bautista, the in-
cumbent chairman of the Com-
mission on Elections (Comelec),
to the effect that he has amassed a
huge fortune during his stint as the
head of the Presidential Commis-
sion on Good Government, and
during his incumbency as Come-
lec chairman, suggests that not all
was well and clean in, among oth-
ers, the May 2016 vice presidential
race between Robredo and ex-
Senator Ferdinand Bongbong
Marcos Jr.
Smartmatic was the foreign pro-
vider of the automated voting ma-
chines used in the 2016 polls. A
Smartmatic computer expert was
caught tampering with the codes
pertaining to the canvassing of
ballots. Smartmatic executives
were even billeted at the Novotel
Hotel in Cubao, Quezon City, the
same hotel which hosted the na-
tional headquarters of Robredos
Liberal Party (LP).
After the election, Bongbong
Marcos petitioned the PET for a
revision of ballots cast in several
contested precincts in bailiwicks
where he could not have possibly
Voices...
From A4
another, we must unite, coordinate,
and allow good to ally with good;
we must fight this enemy together;
it is an evil we must fight with in-
sight, cooperation, cunning, the
enlightened use of political and eco-
nomic power, self-sacrifice, prayer
and Gods grace. objectives, and more importantly
Fr. Tony calls on everyone to
come together to have a better un-
derstanding of the situation: We
need to understand why the soul of
the war on drugs is a human soul,
and why the enemy of this war is
not human rights, but lack of com-
mitment to human rights. We need
to understand why we cannot fight
for human beings by denying them
their rights. In a society where the
human has so lightly lost his soul
to corruption, hedonism, and dis-
respect for the human person, we
need to understand how the poor
are illegal drugs worst victims,
addicted, trafficked, then shot by
the guns drug money buys. We
need to understand how denying
the international drug cartels their
markets does not mean killing the
poor who are their victims, but re-
forming the structure which keep
the poor poor. We need to under-
stand that building the drug-free,
smart, socially-just religiously
diverse society envisioned by the
in order to win approval. The sen-
ators are already noisily complain-
ing about the proposed new taxes
on fuel products and on sweet-
ened beverages. If they have their
way, the TRAIN bill may be cut
by nearly half, from its original
projected net gain of P164 billion,
to less than P100 billion when it
clears the Senate.
***
Its obvious that the senators
acutely remember what happened
to one of their colleagues, Ralph
Recto, who authored the unpopular
EVAT reform bill in 2005. For his
pains, Recto lost his reelection bid
in 2007 and had to wait until 2010
to regain his seat.
Never mind that EVAT reform
is universally credited today as
the countrys single biggest fiscal
achievement in recent years, one
that nearly wiped out our budget
deficit (were it not for the global
financial crisis in 2008), financed
former President Arroyos am-
bitious infrastructure program,
reversed our downturn in credit
ratings and put us on the road to
investment grade.
Dutertes tax reforms have the
potential to accomplish even more
for the country. And yet the sena-
tors do not seem to appreciate the
parallels between EVAT reform in
2005 and TRAIN in 2017. All they
seem to be able to see is what hap-
pened to Recto, who suffered that
most horrible of fates for a politi-
cian: losing an election.
I dont need to remind the
reader that an excise tax on die-
sel fuel falls relatively heavier on
lost. In an attempt to lend credence
to her suspicious victory, Robredo
also questioned the counting in
a number of polling centers. The
Robredo counter-revision case is
rather unusual because winning
candidates do not contest the
outcome of an election they won.
Pursuant to its rules, the PET re-
quired Bongbong and Robredo to
pay revision fees proportionate to
the number of ballot boxes involved
in their respective petitions. Ac-
cordingly, Bongbong was charged
P30 million and Robredo, P15 mil-
lion. Bongbongs fee was higher be-
cause his case involved more ballot
boxes than Robredos case did.
The Marcos camp said
Bongbong was able to raise the
P30-million revision fee with the
help of his family, friends, and
supporters.
Right after Bongbong paid his
revision fee, Robredo accused the
Marcos family of using its wealth
to unseat her. Huh? Paying a fee
fixed by the PET is synonymous
to using ones money to oppress
an opposing candidate? How Ro-
bredo and her cohorts in the LP
arrived at that impertinent conclu-
sion is unexplained.
When that ruse failed to stir
public support and attention, Ro-
bredo stopped ranting and made
a partial payment of P8 million.
Last June, Robredo still had a bal-
ance of P7 million.
Seeing her situation as an op-
portunity to draw public sympa-
thy anew, Robredo played to her
supporters once more. Last July,
six women filed a petition asking
the PET to permit them to pay part
of Robredos P7-million balance.
To justify their rather unusual pe-
tition, they conveniently said that
they have the right to see to it
that the outcome of the elections is
Duterte administration needs pa-
tient multi-sectoral collaboration
of good people collaborating with
good people. We cannot build the
Philippine nation on the cadavers
of the Filipino people.
In this regard, the Jesuits support
the initiative of Cardinal Tagle to
bring people together for a multi-
sectoral dialogue so we can have
a common understanding, shared
that another one of their children
undertake joint actions to win the
battle against drugs and stopping
the massacre of the poor.
Cardinal Tagle is right that what
we need are not only statistics but
human stories: Families with
members who have been destroyed
by illegal drugs must tell their sto-
ries. Families with members who
have been killed in the drug-war,
especially the innocent ones, must
be allowed to tell their stories. Drug
addicts who have recovered must
tell their stories of hope. Let their
stories be told, let their human faces
be revealed.
The most powerful words this
past week was of course from Bish-
op David, who God in his infinite
wisdom designated to be principal
shepherd of the epicenters of the
massacre of the poor. Below are ex-
cerpts from the English version of
his homily (entitled When Heaven
Wept) delivered during Kians
funeral last Saturday. Speaking di-
rectly to the parents of Kian, this
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
the affluent SUV owner, rather
than on poor jeepney passengers
who effectively get to share that
cost among themselves. Nor need
I mention that a tax on sweetened
beverages, like the sin taxes on
alcohol and tobacco, will be good
for public health.
Let me just remind you of some
of the different infrastructure pro-
jects that will have to be given up if
we also give up P70 billion in addi-
tional tax revenues due to the timid-
ity of our legislators. If they dont
know that you cant spend what
you didnt earn, they ought to turn
over their seats to their housewives,
wholl know better.
***
From the Department of Public
Works and Highways:
Metro Manila Skyway, Stage 3:
Cost P37 billion, due 2018. Reduce
travel time between Balintawak,
QC and Buendia Avenue, Makati
from two hours to 15-20 minutes.
NLEX-SLEX Connector Road:
Cost P23 billion, due 2020. Re-
duce travel time between NLEX
and SLEX from 1.5-2 hours to 15-
20 minutes.
Cavite-Laguna Expressway:
Cost P36 billion, due 2020. Re-
duce travel time between SLEX
and CAVITEX from 1.5 hours to
45 minutes.
Southeast Metro Manila Express-
way (C-6), Phase 1: Cost P31 billion,
due 2020. Six-lane expressway con-
necting Skyway FTI in Paraaque
to Batasan in QC.
Bridges crossing Pasig River
(six), Marikina River (four), and
Manggahan Floodway (two). Total
protected. Really? According to
the law, thats the task of the PET
in the first place.
The petition prompts one to
ask: Why do these women need
to file a petition in the PET and
seek permission to pay a part of
the balance of Robredos revision
fee? Why dont they just turn over
their contributions to Robredo
herself and let Robredo pay it to
the PET? On its face, the petition
had all the trappings of a publicity
stunt designed to drum up support
for Robredo.
As expected, the petition was
summarily dismissed, obviously
because it is not allowed under
the rules of procedure governing
cases before the PET.
What is clear is that the six pe-
titioners are rabid, partisan sup-
porters of ex-President Benigno
Aquino III and the LP.
Petitioner Corazon Dinky
Soliman was social welfare secre-
tary during the administration of
President Aquino III. Secretary
Soliman spent public money to
temporarily house Manilas street
urchins outside of the city in order
to keep them off the city streets
during the visit of Pope Francis in
Manila in January 2015.
Soliman was also the social wel-
fare secretary of President Gloria
Arroyo. At the height of the so-
called Hello Garci scandal rock-
ing the Arroyo administration, Soli-
man supported Arroyo for a brief
period but abandoned her when the
going got rough.
Another petitioner, Zorayda
Amelia Alonzo, was the head of the
Pag-Ibig mutual fund during the
regime of President Corazon Co-
juangco Aquino. Last May, libel
charges were filed against her and
other officials before the Regional
Trial Court in Pasig City.
gentlest of pastors said:
That is why there are many peo-
ple here now who are condoling
with you, Zaldy and Lorenza. They
are here not because of politics.
They are here to silently express
their solidarity with you and the
many others whose children have
also died because they allegedly
fought back. Many of them have
not bothered to file charges, for fear
kilograms of shabu will continue
might also be abducted and killed.
There are many witnesses who have
not had the courage to testify in
court, for fear of reprisal.
But thanks to the outpouring of
solidarity, you found the courage to
pursue legal means to obtain justice
for your son. Even your neighbors
found the courage to stand as wit-
ness, to testify to what they had seen
and heard. I also salute the young
lady Barangay Chair for having the
courage to submit the CCTV foot-
ages. (The families of other victims
had demanded such CCTV foot-
ages in other barangays and never condoles with you. Rest assured
got them. Most of them were told
that the CCTV were not function-
ing. Almost always, they would be
functioning again after a day.) Even
the city mayor had the courage to
demand an independent investiga-
tion--which I was invited to, when
he held a meeting of the Peace and
Order Council of Caloocan the day
after Kians murder . . .
Maybe God took Kian on the
A5
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
cost P19 billion.
From the Department of Trans-
portation:
LRT-1 Cavite Extension: Cost
P65 billion, due 2021. Serve an ad-
ditional 300,000 passsengers per
day between Baclaran and Cavite
with eight new stations and three
intermodal facilities.
MRT-7: Cost USD 1.5 billion,
due 2019. New 23-km railway sys-
tem to serve 420,000 passengers
per day between QC and San Jose
del Monte, Bulacan.
Mindanao Railway, Phase 1:
Cost P36 billion, due 2021. First
railway system outside Luzon,
with Phase 1 connecting the cities
of Tagum, Davao and Digos.
Metro Manila Subway, Phase 1:
Cost P250 billion, due 2025. Ini-
tial phase will bring commuters
from Mindanao Avenue, QC to
FTI, Taguig in just 31 minutes.
***
If youre excited by these pro-
jects, like me, then you should be.
Our country is dead last among
the six big Asean states in every
infrastructure category, bar none.
Its way past time to start putting
cement and steel in the ground for
the benefit of our progeny.
The problem is that most of our
legislators seem to think we dont
know how to dream big dreams.
We should let them know that, yes,
we do. We should let them know
that we expect them to start lead-
ing us to those dreams instead of
just grovelling for our votes.
Readers can write me at gboli-
var1952@yahoo.com.
Petitioner Nina Yuson, a muse-
um curator, criticized the dismiss-
al of the petition. She accused
the PET of favoring wealthy can-
didates, and of ignoring the con-
cern of 25,000 Filipinos. Yuson,
however, did not substantiate her
accusations.
Another one said that the mon-
ey raised for Robredo came from
Filipinos from various sectors.
How that argument justifies their
unauthorized petition was some-
thing the petitioner did not bother
to explain.
For her part, Robredo com-
plained that the budget of the
Office of the Vice President for
2018 was increased by a mere P15
million for 2018. That means her
office will be free to spend some
P443.95 million next year, com-
pared to the P428.6 million allot-
ted to it this year.
Good grief! P443.95 million and
Robredo is still unhappy? What
will her office do with all that
money anyway? Since there is no
law, other than the annual appro-
priations act, which specifically
defines what the vice president
may do during his or her incum-
bency, Robredo probably believes
that she is free to spend the bulk of
that money on criticizing the ad-
ministration of President Rodrigo
Duterte, promoting herself as his
ideal substitute, and maintaining
her government-issued mansion in
New Manila, Quezon Cityun-
less Quezon City Mayor and fel-
low LP partymate Herbert Bautista
has already pledged city funds for
such maintenance. That should not
come as a surprise because Mayor
Bautista loves to spend city funds
indiscriminately. Incidentally, is
his brother, city councilor Hero
Bautista, already cured of his drug
dependency?
feast day of San Roque because he
has a message for us all. So that
we would wake up and realize that
extermination is not the right so-
lution to the modern pestilence of
addiction to illegal drugs. The ad-
dicts and pushers are not the en-
emies but the victims. The cruel
and simplistic solution of extermi-
nating them will not rid our coun-
try of illegal drugs. Thousands of
to flood our country if there is
no systematic effort to trace the
source. We are here to plead with
the government: Stop the Killings!
Start the Healing! We can work to-
gether for the healing of addicts
through community-based reha-
bilitation programs. But more im-
portantly, let us heal the divisions,
the conflicts, and the exchanges of
cruel words. Let us rid ourselves
of anything that diminishes our
humanity.
Zaldy and Lorenza, we are one
with you in your grief. Even heaven
that Kians life has not been wasted,
even if it was cut short by senseless
violence and cruelty. It is not wasted
because it has served as a thorn that
has pricked the consciences of our
people and has awakened them from
moral slumber.
Facebook: https://web.face-
book.com/deantonylavs/ Twitter:
tonylavs
A6 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
DFA
extends
sympathy
to Texas
over storm
By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
THE Department of Foreign Af-
fairs expressed its sympathy over
the reported deaths in Texas in
the wake of what has been de-
scribed as one of the most dev-
astating storms in the southern
states history.
Storm Harvey, which triggered
massive ooding in Houston and
surrounding areas, left at least
ve persons dead and more than
a dozen injured, according to the
Department of Foreign Affairs.
Quoting initial reports from
the Philippine Consulate General
in Los Angeles, the DFA said
none among the 80,000-strong
Filipino community in Houston
and surrounding areas has been
reported to be among the dead or
injured.
Our hearts go out to the peo-
ple of Houston, including the
thousands of our kababayans,
who have to go through this ter-
rible ordeal, Foreign Affairs
Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano
said in a statement issued upon
his arrival from Kuala Lumpur
last night.
We offer our deepest sympa-
thies to the families of those who
lost their lives in this disaster,
Cayetano said. We will con-
tinue to pray for Houston and its
people.
PH to host
Asean,
China gab
on DOC
EXPERTS from the Philippines
along with those from other Ase-
an member-states and China are
meeting in Manila this week to
build on the gains that have been
achieved so far in efforts to build
peace and stability in the South
China Sea, the Department of For-
eign Affairs said today.
In a statement, the DFA said it
will host the seminar on the full
and effective implementation of
the 2002 Declaration of Conduct
of Parties in the South China Sea
(DOC) on August 28 and 29.
The seminar seeks to build on
what we have achieved so far in
our efforts to build trust and con-
dence among the parties involved
in the South China Sea issue, For-
eign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter
Cayetano said.
The seminar also seeks to
boost regional efforts to ensure
peace and stability in the South
China Sea, to help prevent mari-
time accidents, and to preserve and
protect the marine environment
and promote sustainable sheries,
the Foreign chief added.
Senior diplomats, policy-
makers and maritime cooperation
scholars from the member states of
the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and China, as
well as representatives from think
tanks and the academe, will ex-
change views on how to further en-
hance practical cooperation between
ASEAN and China in the South
China Sea. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
BURNING ISSUES. Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana of the Commission on Human Rights stresses a point
during the Samahang Plaridel Kapihan sa Manila Hotel as she discusses the governments war on drugs,
Kians death and other human rights-related issues. Lino Santos
JUST STOP. Student leaders and Law students gesture the stop sign urging Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to inhibit himself from investigating Kian delos Santos slay case in
a press conference held at Maxs Restaurant in Malate, Manila on Monday. Lino Santos
Tax incentive mulled
for less-sugared products
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
S
ENATOR Sonny Angara said on Monday
that the proposed P10 per liter tax on sugar
sweetened beverages will be lowered by
50 percent and implemented under a three-tier
system to give incentives to those who will
manufacture drinks with less sugar content.
He said some stakeholders
have recommended to go for a
volume-based tax at P5 (per liter),
but said this would not distinguish
between a beverage which has
one teaspoon since there will be
the same treatment.
So its a bit blunt if its not re- maximum level does not exceed
ally targeted as sweetened. So we
might look into the possibility of
Pangilinan bats for coco levy fund bill
SINCE none of the bills seeking
to utilize the around P100-billion
coco levy funds led in the past
Congresses were passed, Sena-
tor Francis Pangilinan called on
his colleagues to act on his bill
pending on second reading at the
Senate.
Pangilinan said funds collected
valued at P9.7 billion and now es-
timated to have grown to around
P100 billion can be used to devel-
op the coconut industry and ben-
et the farmers.
The coco levy funds were pro-
ceeds of a forced tax imposed by the
late dictator Ferdinand Marcos on
the coconut industry between 1973
and 1982.
News
putting levels to distinguish better
sweeter and beverages which are
not so sweet. Its difcult to set
that. We want to get the consensus
as to where the levels will be set.
But, for the senators, theyre okay
with the three tiers as long as the
P5 equivalent of P5 per liter, he
explained.
Pangilinan, also Liberal Party
president, said a similar version of
his bill is being deliberated in ple-
nary at the House.
He said a Coco Levy Trust Fund
law would be the best gift President
Rodrigo Duterte and Congress could
give to the Filipino coconut farmers
as the country observes the National
Coconut Week.
The senator, who served as Presi-
dential Assistant for Food Security
and Agricultural modernization in
the last administration, expressed
hopes that the bill could be approved
within the year after leaders of the
Senate and the House of Represen-
tatives identied it as among the pri-
ority measures for passage.
Under the existing proposal, the
cost of a one-liter bottle of soda
will increase by P11 or from the
current P27 to P38. The prices of
sachets of powdered drinks, such
as juice and 3-in-1 coffee, are pro-
jected to increase from P9.75 to
P20.75.
Angara said the Department of
Finance should consider tweaking
its proposal by using as basis bev-
erages sugar content rather than
volume.
Those that can help jn our
health, if we are to encourage
healthy habits, it should nit be vol-
ume-based, but on the measure-
ment of the contents, he said.
The chairman of the Senate
committee on ways and means
said that in other coutnries, if they
receive a minimum acceptable of
Many farmers have died without
being able to benet from the fund
that came from their hard labor.
They have waited for over 40 years.
We cant tell them to wait some
more), he said.
The senator said the coco levy fund
would also be a big boost for the in-
dustry constantly hounded by prob-
lems like pests and calamities.
He said coconut farmers groups
nationwide, the religious sector,
and civil society organizations
have all supported the passage of
the measure.
More than the long, arduous
ghts in court, the main battle-
ground is in Malacaang and Con-
gress, where politics could come
Asean meet showcases
women-led startups
A HEARTENING develop-
ment awaits participants in a
regional conference dubbed
as Asean Womens Business
Conference which showcases
key initiatives that are women-
led across the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations pro-
viding wide-ranging support
for start-up companies headed
by women entrepreneurs.
The occasion will also serve as
an introduction of the Asean 10x10
Initiative that aims to connect 10 busi-
nesses with 10 startups across all 10
Asean member states.
These start-ups will gain ac-
cess to support services such as
client acquisition, investments,
mentoring, grants and sponsor-
ships, among others.
This is a great opportunity to
spur local entrepreneurship in the
country, considering that we have
a considerable number of women
sugar, whether 50 grams, and it
is being taxed, anything over that
tapos pag lumampas ka doon,
meron silang scale depende sa
content.
Angara said he plans to pass a
committee report on the proposal
by September.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri,
meanwhile, proposed a three-tiered
tax on SSB), stressing that while
they want to earn government rev-
enue through the sugar tax but, the
industry should not be killed.
I believe that my proposal hits
the sweet spot wherein the taxa-
tion method and tax rates can ad-
dress important concerns such as
governments need for revenue,
need to stop the rising incidence of
diabetes, obesity and dental caries
among the many health issues re-
into play, Pangilinan said.
Former President Noynoy Aquino
issued Executive Orders 179 and 180
which authorized the utilization of the
coconut levy funds to benefit coconut
farmers, but these were stopped by a
temporary restraining order by the Su-
preme Court.
The legal impasse can be resolved
if Congress is nally able to pass a
law establishing a trust fund for the
coconut farmers, Pangilinan said.
Lets end our coconut
farmers woes and give to
them and their families what
they deserve and work hard
for. Let this administration
do it, he said. Macon Ramos-
Araneta
business leaders and entrepre-
neurs in the Philippines, said of
Trade and Industry Undersecre-
tary for Trade and Investments
Promotion Group Nora Terrado.
The launching of the Asean
10x10 is set during lunchtime
at the Asean Womens Business
Conference on August 31 at the
Philippine International Con-
vention Center. The conference
was organized in the Philippines
through the DTI in partnership
with the Asean Women Entrepre-
neurs Network and the Philippine
Commission on Women.
The larger Asean Womens
Business Conference will pro-
vide a platform for entrepre-
neurs to hold dialogues be-
tween and among the Asean
delegates from the private and
public sector as well as Asean
partners on matters that advance
women entrepreneurship.
lated to excessive consumption of
sugar. I also believe the tax rates
to be adopted should also push
my advocacy for the avoidance of
cancer-causing high fructose corn
syrup [HFCS], he said.
SSBs include sweetened juice
drinks, tea and coffee, carbon-
ated beverages with added sugar,
avored water, energy drinks, ce-
real and grain beverages, and other
non-alcoholic beverages that con-
tain sugar.
Drinks exempted from the pro-
posal are milk products, natural
fruit juices, ground coffee, and un-
sweetened tea.
Imposing an excise tax of P10
per liter is among the measures in-
cluded in the House-approved ver-
sion of the Department of Finance-
proposed tax reform law.
Transfer
businesses
to C. Luzon
Gordon
SENATOR Richard Gordon
called on the government
to provide tax incentives
for companies and housing
groups to move to Central
and Southern Luzon as lead-
ers of the business sector
threw their support to his
proposed bill seeking the
creation of an investment
corridor by optimizing the
use of available infrastruc-
tures in these areas.
We can decongest Metro
Manila and relieve its trafc
congested and overburdened
port and airport with this
plan, he said.
Gordon noted that Central
Luzon is the only region in the
Philippines that has three air-
ports like New YorkSubic,
Clark and Manila.
Central Luzon also has
three seaportsSubic, Mariv-
eles and Manila, four if we
include Batangas comple-
mented by a network of high-
ways, said Gordon.
We have to optimize the
use of these infrastructures to
promote development. Lets
work together and map out
a future for our country, he
added.
The senator recalled that
since the 80s, he has been say-
ing that these infrastructure
have been put in place for good
reasons and it would be such
a waste of precious resources if
we do not fully utilize them.
Macon Ramos-Araneta
 Sports TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
A7

Padilla
Nadal, Federer take spotlight scores
N PPS net
EW YORKRafael Nadal and Roger bian Dusan Lajovic in his first- and me would be back in some thigh injury.
round match. shape or form but maybe not quite Sharapova played only one US
Federer will try to add another Grand Ten victories to have that like this, Federer said. I think Open tuneup match before a fore-
Slam success in their age-defying seasons
while Maria Sharapova takes her comeback to the
highest stage when the US Open begins Monday.
match. A lot of points and games
to play, Nadal said of a possible
semi-final with Federer. Now
is not the moment to think about
were all a bit surprised, all the
players, all the media, all the ex-
perts and fans.
It has been a great year and
arm injury sidelined her, but she
has practiced on the courts and
taken inspiration from past suc-
cess, notably a 2006 US Open title.
twin-kill
CASSEY Padilla pulled off a
that. For me, I think about Lajovic. I hope we can keep playing like Overall I think the inspiration pair of reversals to snare the
World number one Nadal, Nadal, 31, and Federer, 36, Thats my goal. this. is being here, really, Sharapova girls 12- and 14-and-under
back on top after more than three have never faced each other on Nadal could face Bulgarian - Sharapovas great memories - said in a video on the US Open titles in the Palawan Pawnshop-
years, captured his 10th French the New York hardcourts but seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov, For Sharapova, the Broadway website. So many great memories Palawan Express Pera Padala
Open in June for his 15th Grand could meet in the semi-finals. coming off his biggest career stage shines a spotlight on her of the tournament, being a cham- Oroquieta leg regional tennis
Slam title while third-ranked Fe- That would be fun for every- title two weeks ago at Cincin- comeback and controversy. She pion, coming back to it. tournament at the Oroquieta
derer took the Australian Open body involved, Federer said. nati, in the quarter-finals while served a 15-month ban after test- The 30-year-old Russian has Lawn Tennis Association and
and Wimbledon crowns, raising Theres like 60-plus players in Federers last-eight opponent ing positive for the blood boosting missed three of the past four US DPWH Tennis Club in Misamis
his record Slam total to 19. between us that dont agree we could be Austrian sixth seed drug meldonium at the 2016 Aus- Opens, reaching the fourth round Occidental yesterday.
Its something that probably should make it to the semis. We Dominic Thiem. tralian Open. in 2014 in her most recent ap- Padilla leaned on her baseline
you and we dont expect to have have our work cut out there. I Until this years revival, Federer Her comeback began in April pearance. game to upend top seed Kristine
that much success, but here we dont think were both thinking had not won a Grand Slam title at Stuttgart, although many ri- Sharapova faces a difficult test Bandolis, 6-3, 6-4, in the 12-U
are, Nadal said. And we worked that far ahead. since Wimbledon in 2012. Nadals vals were unhappy she was given Monday in the night feature match finals then the rising Cagayan de
well. We worked with passion and Federer opens against US most recent major crown was at wildcards into events. The French at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Oro star stopped Ella Ramirez,
we played well. So lets see how teen Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday, Roland Garros in 2014. Open denied her a wildcard and world number two Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0, to claim the 14-U diadem
we finish season. the same day Nadal meets Ser- You could foresee maybe Rafa she missed Wimbledon with a of Romania. and emerge the lone double win-
ner in the Group 1 tournament
sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop

Highlands and presented by Slazenger.

Second seed Steven Sonsona
also repulsed No. 1 and doubles

Cup braces partner Stephen Guia, 7-5, 6-3, to

annex the boys 16-U title but the
Tubod, Lanao ace failed to match

for grand Padillas feat as he bowed to No.

4 Nilo Ledama of Pagadian City,
3-6, 6-2, 4-10, in the 18-U finals

12th staging of the event which also staked

THE Highlands Ladies Cup
gears up for another highly
competitive but fun-filled
tournament as it holds its
12th edition on Oct. 14
(Saturday) featuring a mix
of players and guests from
various sectors at Tagaytay
Midlands Golf and Country
Club.
A full-packed field is
again expected to play in the
18-hole tournament with the
organizing Tagaytay High-
lands Ladies Chapter guar-
anteeing another successful
staging of the event backed
by major sponsors W Group
of Companies, Auto Nation
and Tagaytay Highlands In-
ternational Golf Club Inc.
Listup is ongoing with fee
pegged at P3,500 for mem-
bers and P4,000 for non-
members, inclusive of green
fee, cart and lunch. For de-
tails, call Gay Gonzales at
0917-8744702 or 263-8065
or fax 521-8848 and email
marketing@regenttravelma-
nila.com.
As in its past editions, top
prizes will be up for grabs
in various categories of the
tournament, also held to fos-
ter camaraderie and friend-
ship among the participants,
including executives and
corporate bigwigs as well as
celebrities and guests from
the government and private
sectors.
The well-kept Midlands
layout is again expected to
provide a different kind of
challenge for the field with
its hazards and sleek putting
surface, especially when the
wind would come into play.
Carina Ricamonte cap-
tured the low gross title last
year while So young Lee
took the low net honors with
the duo expected to lead the
cast in the upcoming tourna-
ment to be played under the
System 36 scoring format.
Shiela Ward, who edged
Marie Guerrero to snare the
ladies division plum, is also
tipped to defend her crown
along with the other division
winners, including Bruce
Lee (Class A), Dominic
Samson (Class B) and Elmer
Lapena (Class C)/
The event also serves as a
fund-raiser for THLCs fa-
vorite charity, the Sisters of
Mary and the Boys and Girls
Town in Silang, Cavite with
the mission of education for
employment.
PHs bets from table tennis, badminton, billiards stumble
TAIPEIThe Philippines table
tennis, badminton and billiards
teams, which excelled during the
earlier rounds, hit a brick wall in
the Summer Universiade here on
Monday.
Lemuel Agbon saw his impres-
sive three-game winning streak
come to an end at the hands of Wi
Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot while practicing prior to the start of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the
Queens borough of New York City. AFP
LPGT Pradera Verde Classic unwraps Red Lions try
THE ICTSI Pradera Verde Ladies
Classic gets under way today (Tues-
day) with three of the countrys top
guns bracing for a shootout and a
slew of others raring to spoil their
bid at the Pradera Verde Golf and
Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga.
Symetra Tour campaigners Princess
Superal and Cyna Rodriguez launch
their respective title drive in sepa-
rate f lights while Pauline del Rosa-
rio drew former leg winner Chihiro
Ikeda and top amateur Sofia Chabon
600 jins vying in Best of Best tourney
AROUND 600 athletes composed only of
gold medalists in national events all over the
country and members of the Philippine team,
Blackbelt Brotherhood and Blackbelt Soror-
ity will vie for honors in the 2017 SMART/
MVP Sports Foundation Best of the Best
Taekwondo Championships on September
2-3 at Robinsons Place Galeria.
The male and female participants will
display their skills in the senior, junior,
Cadet and grade school divisions in two
events Kyorugi (free sparring) and
Poomsae (forms).
Considered as Philippine Taekwondo As-
sociations premier tournament, Best of the
Best is sponsored by the countrys No. 1
sports patron, Smart Communications and
PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.
Pangilinan is mainly responsible for the
tremendous growth of taekwondo here,
having supported PTAs programs for
fledgling and outstanding jins for over a
decade now.
Many of these gold medalists from Lu-
zon, Visayas and Mindanao as well as
UAAP, NCAA, AFP-PNP Olympics and
PTA events in Metro Manila and the dif-
ferent regions are among the contenders in
Hun Kang of Korea in their round- his first three assignments
of-32 singles encounter. against Karan Rai of Nepal, 3-1;
Agbon, however, still emerged
as the winningest Filipino in the
Carlos Barraza Vergara of Co-
lombia, 3-2; and Habib Antoun
prestigious 12-day competition
also known as the World Univer-
of Lebanon, 3-2.
Agbons compatriot, John Vin-
sity Games. cent Cabaluna, was also a loser to
The 22-year-old campaigner Masaki Yoshida of Japan in an-
from University of Cebu swept other round-of-32 encounter.
ranking points for free training
abroad under the Unified Tennis
Program.
Sonsona and Guia later teamed
up to beat Bruce Hurtado and
Ledama, 8-4, and win the 18-U
doubles plum in the tournament
backed by the UTP, led by PPS-
PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson,
Tobys, Dunlop, Slazenger and
B-Meg.
Sonsona and Padilla later
shared the MVP honors.
Other winners were Robie
Baulete of Iligan (girls 18-U),
Jan Marie Anghag of Ozamiz
(girls 16-U), John David Velez
of Davao (boys 14-U), Oro-
quietas Nash Agustines (boys
12-U) and Tubod, Lanaos Kale
Villamar (10-unisex), Bau-
lete and Mae Mendoza (girls
18-U doubles), Bandolis and
Judy Ann Padilla (girls 14-U
doubles), Heimz Carbonilla and
Eric Tangub (boys 14-U dou-
bles) and Vinz Bering and Kale
Villamar (10-U doubles).
in what promises to be a fiery start at
the long but f lat par-72 layout.
tories and a runner-up finishes in the
last three legs of the eight-stage tour to move nearer
leading Pirates
Superal and Rodriguez are on a organized by Pilipinas Golf Tourna-
break from the US circuit and the ments, Inc.
two winningest LPGT players have If Ces or Cyna are the favorites,
been installed as the early favorites its fine with me. It actually takes
in the seventh leg of the countrys the pressure off me. But Ill be there Games Tuesday
premier ladies circuit sponsored by to take care of what I need to do to 12 noon - JRU vs Mapua (jrs)
ICTSI. win, too, said Del Rosario, who also 2 p.m.- JRU vs Mapua (srs)
But Del Rosario looms as the play- hurdled the first stage of the Kore- 4 p.m- SBC vs AU (srs)
er to foil the anticipated Superal- an LPGA International Qualifying 6 p.m.- SBC vs AU (jrs)
Rodriguez face-off with the former Tournament with a strong runner-up
amateur hotshot coming off two vic- effort recently. SAN Beda College seeks to close in on un-
beaten leader Lyceum of the Philippines
University as it takes on last years finals
foe Arellano University today in the 93rd
NCAA basketball tournament at the Filoil
Arena in San Juan City.
The Lions survived the Perpetual Help
Altas, 57-53, in an NCAA on Tour game
on Aug. 17 at the Perpetual Help Gym to
stay at No. 2 with a 7-1 (win-loss) record.
A victory over the Chiefs, whom the for-
mer swept in last seasons finale, in their 4
p.m. game would push them closer to the
Pirates, who finished the first round on top
with a perfect 9-0 slate.
The defending champions will be playing
an Arellano University side that is coming
off an 87-81 win over St. Benilde Friday.
Rookie Levi dela Cruz unleashed a career-
high 24 points to make up for Kent Salados
subpar nine-point effort, while helping the
Chiefs secure their third win against five de-
feats to enhance their Final Four aspiration.
And San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez
National Universitys Diether Baylon, a prospective participant again, connects with an
has taken notice.
axe kick against DLSUs Joseph Adiaz.
We know that theyre main man is Kent
this weekends tournament. Taekwondos scoring system PSS (Pro-
Salado, but we have to be ready because
Tournament Director Jesus Morales tective Scoring System) and ESS (Elec-
they have players who can step up also,
III says an important goal in freestyle tronic Scoring System), electronic armors
said Fernandez.
Poomsae is the presentation of high level and socks together with IVR (Instant
foot techniques like jumping yopchagi, Video Replay) will be utilized to elimi-
720-degree spinning kick and kicking
with acrobatic actions.
nate human error and ensure accurate, fair
scoring and spectator friendly matches. LOTTO RESULTS
6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+
Meanwhile, John Rodlin Bau- loss to the Japanese duo of Jengi 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M
tista dropped a close 7-11 deci- Suzuli and Tskayuki Shishido in
sion to Eirik Riisnaes of Norway
in their quarterfinal showdown
the quarterfinals.
Over at the Taipei gymnasium,
4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0
in the mens individual biliards
event at the Taipei Expo Dome,
Adrian Daniele Rigonan lost in the
mens singles and Ruben Haramel 3 DIGITS 0-0-0
The 9-ball mens doubles Jr. and Christine Garin fell in the
team of Bautista and James Lin mixed doubles of the badminton 2 EZ2 0-0
also went out fighting in an 8-11 competitions
 Sports
Biado
Riera U. Mallari, Editor
Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor
credits
sports@thestandard.com.ph
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com Bata,
A8
Django
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017

for feat
KUALA LUMPUR Carlo Biado
isnt taking full credit for his gold-
en performance in the billiards
competition of the 29th Southeast
Asian Games.
He also owes his mentors leg-
endary cue artists Efren Bata
Reyes and Francisco Django
Bustamante for teaching him the
tricks of the trade.
A champion of the World
Games in Poland in July, Biado
continued his winning ways when
he demolished Nguyen Anh Tuan
of Vietnam in the mens singles
9-balls event to collect his second
gold medal in the biennial meet.
Prior to that, he demolished
Muayporn Chotipong of Thailand
in the preliminaries before run-
ning over Irsal Nasution of Indo-
nesia in the quarterfinals.
And he has his coaches to
thank for.
Maganda na sina (national
playing-coaches) Efren Bata
Reyes at Francisco Django
Bustamante ang mga naging
coaches namin sa national team.
Marami kami, ako na mga natu-
tunan sa kanilang dalawa sa train-
ing, said Biado.
Marami silang alam na mga
tira na tinuturo sa amin na malak-
ing bagay at nagagamit namin sa
Carlo Biado of the Philippines raises his hands in triumph after winning against Duong Quoc Hoang of Vietnam in the nals of mens 9-ball singles event of the 29th Southeast Asian mga labanan.
Games billiards competition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. Biado prevailed, 9-5, to clinch the gold medal. But the battle is not yet done

Worst PH finish looms

KUALA LUMPUR Another heartbreaking finish looms for
Team Philippines with three days left before the 29th Southeast
Asian Games comes to a close at the Bukit Jalil National
Stadium.
Save for a surprise victory in equestrian,
no Filipino athlete emerged with a gold
medal, putting tremendous pressure on
Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora and Fran-
cis Agojo to deliver strong finishing kicks
in taekwondo and a four-man Philippine
squad in the wushu finals on Tuesday.
John Colin Syquia, an obscure new-
comer from Florida, was the lone bright
spot on Monday as he won the individual
showjumping crown to pluck the countrys
23rd gold medal and its first mint in eques-
trian since 2011 in Palembang.
Riding Adventure E, Syquia was tied
with five other riders in the first two rounds
before blazing in the jump off to clock a
commanding 37.63 seconds over Malay-
sians Sharmini Christina Ratnasingham
(41.30 seconds) and Dato Seri Mahamad
Fathil Qabi Ambak (41.66 seconds).
This (gold medal) is very special be-
cause this is the first time for me to compete
in the SEA Games, said the 46-year-old
Quezon City-born professional equestrian
and horse-dealer, who participates in shows
and derbies in Wellington, Florida.
The Philippines did not only miss its ini-
tial projection of 50 gold medals, but is also
headed to what could be its worst finish in
terms of gold-medal production the past 18
years.
The Philippines emerged with 29 gold
medals in the past two editions in Myan-
mar in 2013 and Singapore in 2015.
Prior to that, its worst finish was in the
Brunei SEA Games in 1999 where it man-
aged to bring home only 20 mints.
But the Brunei Games, where only 233
gold medals were at stake, was a small af-
fair compared with this years biennial
meet, where a total of 404 gold medals
from 38 sports are being disputed.
Malaysia remains on top of the medal
tally after shattering the century mark with
102 gold medals, while Thailand, Vietnam
and Singapore are way behind with 58, 54
and 48 mints, respectively.
Indonesia, Asian Games host next year,
is eight gold medals ahead of the Philip-
pines with 31, making it impossible for the
Philippines to steal the fifth spot.
The Philippines also has 30 silver and 55
bronze medals.
World champion Gaylord Coveta of
sailing and Olympian Nestor Colonia of
weightlifting suffered heart-breaking set-
backs, while the entire muay squad was
wiped out in the championship battles.
Coveta, the 27-year-old sailor who was
crowned as world champion in 2012, set-
tled for silver medal in the mens wind-
surfing RS One event behind Olympian
Natthaphong Phonoppharat of Thailand,
while Illham Wahab of Indonesia bagged
the silver medal.
A hurting Colonia also suffered a setback
as he finished fifth out of six competitors
in the mens 56 kg division weightlifting to bid goodbye in the 11-nation conclave.
competition.
He lifted a meager 113 kg in the snatch
and 140 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of
254 kg to land fifth out of six entries.
Thach Kim Tuan, the Youth Olympics
gold medalist and world record-holder in
the 56 kg, lifted 120 kg in the snatch and
149 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 260 kg
to retain the crown he won in the Myanmar
SEA Games in 2013.
Surahmat Bin Suwoto Wuoy of Indone-
sia captured the bronze medal with 119 kg
in snatch and 148 kg in clean and jerk for a
total of 267 kg, while Witoon Mingmoon
of Thailand grabbed the bronze medal with
110 kg in snatch and 149 kg in clean and
jerk for a total of 259 kg.
Muay fighter Ryan Jafiri also kissed his
gold medal chances goodbye as he was
knocked out of contention by a Cambodian
legend in the 63.5 kg class muay competition.
After drawing a bye in the five-man
field, Jafiri was caught by a ramming front
kick and a thunderous punch from Khun
Dima of Cambodia that sent him crashing
with 1:11 left.
Jafiri was the fifth Filipino muay fighter
bronze medal with 110 kg in
He, however, would still go home with a
bronze medal.
for Biado.
After this, he will fly to Ashga-
bat in Turkmenistan to compete in
the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts
Games.
His coaches may no longer be
there, but the lessons they taught
him will still remain in his heart.
Meanwhile, Nestor Colonia,
bothered by a knee injury, faded
in the weightlifting competition of
the 29th Southeast Asian Games at
the Malaysia International Trade
and Exhibition Center here.
One of the countrys two
weightlifters in the Rio de Janeiro
Olympics last year, Colonia lifted
a meager 113 kg in the snatch and
140 kg in the clean and jerk for a
total of 254 kg to land fifth out of
six entries.
Thach Kim Tuan, the Youth
Olympics gold medalist and world
record-holder in the 56 kg, lifted
120 kg in the snatch and 149 kg in
clean and jerk for a total of 260 kg
to retain the crown he won in the
Myanmar SEA Games in 2013.
Surahmat Bin Suwoto Wuoy
of Indonesia captured the bronze
medal with 119 kg in snatch and
148 kg in clean and jerk for a to-
tal of 267 kg while Witoon Min-
gmoon of Thailand grabbed the
snatch and 149 kg in clean and jerk
for a total of 259 kg.

Indonesia: Judo champion Takahashi

Malaysia
cheated in
pencak silat
KUALA LUMPURIndonesia
have accused hosts Malaysia of
cheating during the pencak silat
martial arts competition at the
Southeast Asian Games, in the
latest controversy between the
two countries at the regional mini-
Olympics.
Malaysias Taqiyuddin bin Ha-
mid and Rosli bin Mohd Sharif
took gold in the mens artistic dou-
bles, but Indonesia team manager
Edhy Prabowo claimed they were
awarded an unfairly high score.
The accusation comes after
Malaysian Games organisers mis-
takenly printed Indonesias flag
upside-down in a commemora-
tive magazine, prompting protests
in Indonesia and revenge hacking
attacks.
Its absolutely not authentic,
not proper. Never in the history of
the male doubles has anyone had
such inflated points, Prabowo
said, according to Indonesian
news website Detiksport.
They did not even deserve a
third place, not even a fourth, he
said, adding: I knew Malaysia
would cheat. This is not good for
our athletes, but we now have to
accept this.
Indonesias Yolla Primadona
Jumpil and Hendy, the defend-
ing champions, were reportedly
enraged after coming second in
the competition with 554 points,
behind the Malaysian teams 582.
It has never happened before
that judges awarded 582 points
in this category. Never mind 582,
even to get 570 is extremely diffi-
cult, Prabowo said. AFP
eyes 2020 Tokyo Olympics
KUALA LUMPUR After bursting into the lime-
light with a golden performance, rising star Mariya
Takahashi will be shooting for the next big thing a
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slot in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. fdlkgfdl gkfd
The 16-year-old Filipino-Japanese will be the sec- gfdklgfd lgkfdg
ond judoka to be groomed for the Summer Games
after winning the gold medal in the womens -70 kg
event of the 29th Southeast Asian Games judo com-
petition Sunday here.
The other one is 21-year-old Kiyomi Watanabe,
who punched her third SEA Games gold medal after
ruling the womens -63 kg class.
According to Philippine Judo Federation president
Dave Carter, they have already reached out to Taka-
hashis parents about the possibility of grooming her
for the Olympiad.
Takahashi proved that she deserves it after domi-
nating Nguyen Thi Dien of Vietnam en route to a
golden finish in her first stint in the biennial meet.
She is also our brightest bet in the 2019 SEA
BEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK. Larry Fonacier spearheaded NLEXs Games all the way to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said
condence-building 103-100 win over powerhouse San Miguel Beer in their Carter.
PBA Governors Cup encounter on Sunday. The 62 Fonacier highlighted Aside from all-out support from her federation,
his heroics by knocking down two huge three-point shots in a nip-and-tuck
contest down the stretch to help the Road Warriors secure their sixth win
the Philippine Sports Commission also expressed its
commitment to back her training, while the Philip-
in eight starts. The 35-year-old Fonacier, acquired last May in a three-team
pine Olympic Committee would recommend her for
trade, banged in 8 of his 16 points in the last period, added four rebounds
and issued three assistsa performance that earned him the PBA Press an athletic scholarship program, where she would be
Corps Player of the Week for the period of Aug 21-27. entitled to a $500 monthly allowance.
Villanueva suggests PH Arena as SEA Games main venue
FACILITIES owned and controlled by The Philippine Arena is a 140-hect- Field in Pampanga are high in the priority lanueva said.
church group of Iglesia ni Kristo can be are multipurpose indoor arena at Ciudad list of the Duterte administration in terms The senator further expressed his sup-
utilized for the Philippines hosting of the de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan. It is the of development. port to the countrys hosting of 2019 SEA
2019 Southeast Asian Games. worlds largest indoor arena with a maxi- We have to meet and see whats do- Games as it will serve as a good opportu-
Senator Joel Villanueva said this Mon- mum seating capacity of 51,898. able, said Cayetano, who added that the nity to boost our sports and tourism sector.
day as he encouraged the organizers of the Organizers are also considering sports Philippine Arena in Bulacan and some Apart from showcasing the beauty
games to consider holding the sports event facilities that will be put up inside the facilities in Iba, Zambales are also being of the Philippines and the hospitality of
at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. Clark Green City. considered. our people, the countrys hosting of SEA
Please seriously consider Bulacan, Newly designated Organizing Commit- If sports facilities and infrastructure Games gives us the opportunity to pri-
we have the [Philippine] Arena and other tee Chairman Allan Peter Cayetano said have yet to be seen in Clark, I think it oritize our sports sector, particularly the
great facilities plus extra ordinary hospi- the Clark facilities will be possible within would be much better if we utilize those training of our athletes, and to fill in the
tality of Bulakenyos, said Villanueva, the next two years. facilities in the Philippine Arena which gaps in our sports program facilities, Vil-
who is from Bulacan, on his Twitter post. He added that certain areas of Clark are only waiting to be showcased, Vil- lanueva said. Peter Atencio

MRT 3 rm
defends
performance
NLEX extending road to Bataan
IN BRIEF
Eight more foreign
banks eye PH ofces
EIGHT more foreign banks are
seeking to set up shop in the
Philippines that could further boost
the banking industry, the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas said.
Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor
Espenilla Jr. said eight Asian banks
had expressed interest to expand
presence in the Philippines, while
some foreign banks planned to
establish a representative ofce in
the country.
A representative ofce refers to
a liaison ofce of a foreign bank,
which deals directly with the
public by promoting and giving
information about its services.
It does not include the regional
or area headquarters of a foreign
bank registered and licensed under
existing laws.
Representative ofces are
mainly focused on marketing.
It is also important because rep
ofces are also useful in drawing
in investments into the country,
Espenilla said.
But if they see a really good
market demand, it may progress
into a branch application, he
added.
So far, eight foreign banks
secured approvals from the central
bank to operate in the country,
namely Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corp., South Koreas Industrial
Bank of Korea, Shinhan Bank
and Woori Bank, Taiwans Cathay
United Bank, Yuanta Commercial
Bank Co. Ltd. and First
Commercial Bank and Singapore-
based United Overseas Bank Ltd.
Darwin G. Amojelar
DA building eight
Apayao warehouses
THE Department of Agriculture
said Monday eight warehouses
worth P86.63 million due for
construction in Apayao through
the Philippine Rural Development
Project (DA-PRDP) are expected
to help improve the connectivity of
farmers to markets.
Apayaos provincial agricul-
turist Prudencio Bosing said one
major issue facing agricultural
development was the distance of
Apayao to markets.
He said individual farmers could
not bring their products to big
markets because of hauling costs
and the required volume.
Bosing said traders mostly
controlled farm gate prices.
The provincial local government
unit said costs could be minimized
with the warehouses serving
as consolidation centers for
agricultural produce, such as
coffee and banana.
Some of banana fruits sold in
Pangasinan, Clark and Manila are
sourced here. One big issue is that
farmers lose potential protswe
cant control the traders, Bosing
said.
He added that banana traders
usually bought the fruits by piece
and not by weight.
Farmers have decried this
system and hoped that one day, the
province would build a bagsakan
center or warehouse drop-off point
where farmers could [collectively]
negotiate with buyers, Bosing
said. Anna Leah E. Gonzales
BCDA to change Clarks master plan
By Othel V. Campos
STATE-RUN Bases Conver-
sion and Development Author-
ity plans to change the master
plan of Clark Freeport Zone to
accommodate new projects and
developments.
BCDA president Vincent
Dizon cited an urgent need to
amend the design for Clark to
cover all ongoing and planned
developments.
Master plans are usually up-
dated and revalidated every ve
years. We havent revalidated
the plan in more than a decade
now, he said.
Dizon said the original master
plan did not include the expan-
sion of Clark International Air-
port, the construction of a rail-
way system and the creation of
Clark Green City. He said this
meant the current master plan
was already outdated.
Palafox Associates won the
bid for the remaster planning of
Clark, but BCDA is also in talks
Business
B3
By Darwin G. Amojelar
N
LEX Corp. is investing up to P20
billion to extend the North Luzon
Expressway to Bataan province, a top
executive said.
NLEX president and chief ex-
ecutive Rodrigo Franco said the
company was currently doing
the engineering study for NLEX
Phase 3, with the project cost
estimated at P16 billion to P20
billion.
NLEX Phase 3 is envisioned
as a 37.76-kilometer, two by
two-lane expressway from Sto.
Tomas, Pampanga to Dinalupi-
han, Bataan.
SOLAR LAMPS. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (second from left) and other energy ofcials assemble 100 solar-powered lamps under
the guidance of local grade-schoolers that will be donated to families in Bohol during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Panglao. The lamps
were given to 100 families in the islands of Balicasag, Pamilacan and mainland Panglao, including the families of 34 students from Lourdes
Elementary School as beneciaries.
Egco sees PH as its new Asian flagship market
By Alena Mae S. Flores
ELECTRICITY Generating
Public Co. Ltd. or Egco Group of
Thailand said it is now looking
at the Philippines as its agship
market because of limited oppor-
tunities in the home country.
Egco president and direc-
tor Chanin Chaonirattisai said
Egco Group in the second half
of 2017 would pursue oppor-
tunities in the power sector in
different countries to maintain
at least a 10-percent return on
equity for shareholders.
with some of the worlds biggest
developers.
Were waiting for the re-
sults by yearend. With other
projects coming in, its hard to
keep building without the master
plan, Dizon said.
The proposed remaster plan-
ning would include the creation
of the so-called Asean Villas, a
transient residence project where
foreign guests can stay during
conferences.
The villas will be a part of the
privatization plan to recoup the
investments spent for improve-
ments in Clark.
To be honest, we badly need
housing. Most of the people
working in Clark live outside of
the zone, Dizon said.
Clark Development Corp. said
the new plan aimed to optimize
the development potential of
Clark without compromising the
economic, environmental and
social integrity of the main Free-
port zone.
The new master plan would
We are set to submit the in-
vestment proposal to TRB [Toll
Regulatory Board], Franco
said.
Franco said the company was
expecting to complete the right
of way acquisition in two years
and start the construction by
2020.
Phase 1 of NLEX consists of
four segments with a total length
of 92 kilometers, including the
We understood that invest-
ment opportunities in Thailand
are quite limited that the power
development policy presently
gears to small-scale power plants
such as biomass power project,
Chaonirattisai said in a state-
ment.
Egco Group then focuses
on seeking overseas opportuni-
ties particularly in Asia Pacic
region where the company has
strong presence through an
approach of developing new
projects within the existing
plant sites. Philippines will be
incorporate a concomitant busi-
ness plan that will leverage on
the potentials of Clark to incor-
porate environment friendly,
smart and resilient green initia-
tives and fortify the Freeports
status as a modern industrial
estate and premier service and
logistics hub in the region.
It will provide a fresh take
on the most strategic approach
for further development of the
Freeport zone in accordance
with the governments new man-
tra Build, Build, Build whose
goal is to usher in the golden age
of infrastructure in the Philip-
pines.
Clarks new master plan will
also integrate with the master
plan for Subic-Clark Corridor
(CFZ, Clark Civil Aviation com-
plex, Clark Special Economic
Zone and Clark Green City), the
proposed North Luzon Railways
project, Manila-Clark Airport
Express Railway and a 60-kilo-
meter railway that will connect
Clark and Subic Bay Freeport.
rehabilitated and expanded 84-
km stretch from Balintawak,
Quezon City to Mabalacat, Pam-
panga and the 8.5-km Segment 7
from Hermosa, Bataan to Subic
Freeport.
Phase 2 of NLEX consists four
segments with a length of 21 ki-
lometers, involving the construc-
tion of the greeneld northern C5
to connect the existing C5 from
C.P. Garcia Ave. in the Univer-
sity of the Philippines complex in
Diliman, Quezon City to NLEX,
and extend westward to Ma-
cArthur Highway in Valenzuela
City, turning south down to C3 in
Caloocan City.
NLEX earlier said it was in-
vesting P29.43 billion in ex-
our agship market where we
stepped in since 2008, he said.
Egco owns a 49-percent stake
in the 630-megawatt Masinloc
coal-red power plant in Zam-
bales province and a 49-percent
stake in the 330-MW expan-
sion of the same project.
It owns 100 percent of the
460-MW Quezon Power coal-
red power plant in Quezon
province and has a 49-percent
stake in the 455-MW San Bue-
naventura coal project which is
also under construction in the
same province.
7-ELEVENS AWARD. Convenience store chain 7-Eleven bags the Best Booth Display Award at the
recently-concluded Franchise Asia Philippines Exposition 2017 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Franchise Asia Philippines 2017 Expo chair Jose Magsaysay Jr. said 7-Eleven bested other booths because
of visual impact, creativity and originality in design, creative brand marketing and promotions, as well as
audience response during the three-day exhibit. Shown are 7-Eleven staff at its award-winning booth.
Ray S. Eano, Editor
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor
business@manilastandard.net
extrastory2000@gmail.com
pressway projects between 2018
and 2020.
These projects include NLEX
Segment 10 which is projected
to be operational by the rst half
2018; Segment 10 from C3 to
R10 section to be completed by
rst quarter of 2019; and the Subic
Freeport Expressway to be nished
by the rst quarter of 2019.
The NLEX-SLEX Connector
Road is expected to be completed
by the rst quarter of 2021.
NLEX earlier reported a net
prot of P2.3 billion in January
to June, up from P2 billion a year
ago.
Toll revenues increased 8 per-
cent in the six-month period to
P5.7 billion from P5.2 billion a
The San Buenaventura and
Masinloc Unit 3 power plants
are expected to start commer-
cial operations by 2019.
Egco Group runs 27 oper-
ating power plants with total
equity contracted capacity of
4,352 MW in ve countries
across Asia Pacic region
Thailand, Laos, the Philip-
pines, Indonesia and Australia.
The companys power plants
generate electricity using several
fuel sources such as natural gas,
coal, biomass, waste, hydro, so-
lar, wind and geothermal.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 B1
year earlier, because of the in-
crease in trafc at NLEX and
Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
The average daily trafc for
NLEX reached 233,652 daily en-
tries in the rst half, or 7 percent
higher than the same period last
year, while average daily trafc
alone SCTEX rose 24 percent to
54,991 daily entries.
Non-toll revenues amounted to
P83 million in the rst half, also
up from P73 million a year ago,
on higher royalty fees, utility fa-
cility fees and other non-toll ini-
tiatives.
NLEX earlier submitted unso-
licited proposals worth P122.43
billion to build two major ex-
pressway projects.
PT&T
wants to
resume
trading
By Jenniffer B. Austria
THE new investors of Philip-
pine Telegraph & Telephone
Corp. led by businessmen
Benjamin Bitanga and Salva-
dor Zamora plan to seek the
Philippine Stock Exchanges
approval for the lifting of the
company trading suspension
after nearly 13 years.
PT&T chief operating ofcer
Miguel Bitanga said in an inter-
view the resumption of trading
of the companys shares in PSE
would be a key component to
its growth strategy to expand
its xed broadband business in
Metro Manila.
That is a key component
because that is how we would
be able to get a new investor,
Bitanga said.
Bitanga said PT&T was ex-
pecting to get PSEs approval
to lift the trading suspension be-
cause it was the company itself
that sought voluntary trading
suspension in December 2004.
Shares of PT&T were last
traded on Dec. 9, 2004 when
it closed at P0.33 per share. It
had a public oat of 29.95 per-
cent.
Bitanga said while the com-
pany was in trading suspension,
it managed to submit the mini-
mum requirements for compli-
ance with PSE.
Bitanga said on the com-
panys corporate rehabilitation,
PT&T would allow the process
to proceed. Being under re-
ceivership does not prevent us
to go forward. We are still al-
lowed to operate our normal
business, Bitanga said.
PT&T secured court approv-
al in 2011 to implement a 15-
year rehabilitation plan.
B2 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
extrastory2000@gmail.com
MRT 3 firm defends performance
By Darwin G. Amojelar
B
USAN Universal Rail Inc., the
maintenance provider of Metro Rail
Transit Line 3, said it delivered more
than what was required under its contract,
contrary to the claim of an ofcial of the
Transportation Department.
Charles Mercado, legal coun-
sel of Busan, asked Transpor-
tation Undersecretary Cesar
Chavez to explain his motive
for spreading what Mercado
described as wrong informa-
tion about the true state of MRT
Filinvest
eyes P3-b
revenues in
QC project
By Jenniffer B. Austria
FILINVEST Land Inc., one of the
countrys largest integrated real
estate developers and BPO ofce
providers, said it expects to gener-
ate at least P3 billion in sales from
a newly launched mixed-use proj-
ect in Quezon City.
The project called Studio 7
would include an 18-story resi-
dential building with 459 resi-
dential units being sold at P2.45
million to P4.39 million per
unit, with sizes ranging from 18
square meters to 31 sqm.
It will also have 18 oors
with 36,000 square meters of
leasable ofce space target-
ing business process outsourc-
ing rms. The ofce tower can
house a total of 14,000 BPO
employees.
The project will also have
three oors of retail space of-
fering 4,000 sqm.
Studio 7, strategically locat-
ed along Edsa and 200 meters
from MRT GMA-Kamuning
Station, targets start-up fami-
lies, investors, millennials and
BPO workers as potential buy-
ers of the residential units.
Filinvest Land rst vice pres-
ident Janet Cordero said the of-
ce component of the project
was expected to be completed
by the latter part of 2019 while
the residential tower would be
nished by 2020.
Among the amenities that
unit buyers can enjoy are an out-
door area for tness bootcamp,
lap pool, sky garden, yoga deck
and mezzanine lounge.
The company said the stra-
tegic location of the project is
a part of the emerging central
business district and hub in
Quezon City.
Filinvest Land posted a net in-
come of P2.66 billion in the rst
half, up 8 percent from the same
period last year, as revenues in-
creased 9 percent to P10.06 billion.
AS I have watched sad events
unfolding in Venezuelathe Spanish
translation of the conquistadors
Little VeniceI have wanted to
record a few personal thoughts
about that beautiful Latin American
country, which has contributed many
names to the list of Miss Universe
contest winners.
Up until my family took up
residence in the United Kingdom,
my experience with Venezuela was
limited to my geography textbooks.
From them I learned that Venezuela
essentially was about three things
the Andes mountain range, the mighty
Orinoco River and Lake Maracaibo.
The waters of Lake Macaraibo are
where the worlds fourth largest oil
deposits are found.
Then came London. In Britains
capital city my family came to know
and to become very friendlywith
Frank Alcock, his wife and some
Jimmy and Frank Jr. The older Frank
Alcock, who was then in his fties,
was a successful British businessman
who had married Matilde, a Maduro has brought the Venezuelan
Venezuelan lass who was raised in
the upper-class British manner.
The situation of the Alcock family
was my rst personal brush with
dictatorship outside the communist
Business
wrong information as if to condi- ership was much less, the system tract, it said. cars were running. These 40 cars
tion the public into viewing Buri already logged 1,492 glitches. Mercado said Buri submitted were enough for only 13 three-
negatively and to baselessly sup- That fact shows that the to the Transportation Depart- car trains. The other cars were
port his unjust plan to terminate glitches are more reasonably due ment documentary and techni- inoperable and had many miss-
Buris contract, Mercado said in to design aws and not mainly cal evidence to show the design ing parts. Since then, Buri xed
a statement. maintenance issues. Through aws and their impact on the per- 28 cars to presently deliver the
The DOTr undersecretarys the years, the deterioration of formance of the trains. He said contract minimum of 18 trains
repeated charge to blame Buri for the rails and passenger loading Buri also repeatedly reminded for revenue operation Mercado
every glitch and train stoppage is above the intended usage only the DOTr about the completion said.
also unfair not only to Buri but worsened the systems condition of the rail replacement, and even These became possible only
to the riding public as well, he and resulted in more glitches, Transportation Secretary Arturo because Buri aggressively ex-
3 versus the actual delivery said. Buri said. Tugade instructed MRT to review ecuted its parts purchase plan.
of contract obligations by the Mercado said even in year Undersecretary Chavez loading protocols. Buri has not been remiss in its
maintenance service company. 2000, when Japanese company should be asked to disprove this To set the record straight, it is maintenance operations, and the
We seek to correct the mis- Sumitomo Corp. was maintain- evidence on the design aws untrue that Buri has not been pro- company weighs its responsibil-
information repeatedly being ing the system in MRTs rst as opposed to insisting for the curing proper spare parts. When ity seriously because it is impor-
spread by DOTr Undersecretary year of operation, when the trains immediate cancellation of the Buri started its contract in Janu- tant for the governments capac-
Chavez. He keeps rehashing the and rails were brand new and rid- MRT3 maintenance service con- ary 2016, only 40 of MRTs 72 ity expansion objective he said.
DYNAMIC LEARNING. Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. launches its rst capability building program on project management with 24 participants from the public sector,
particularly from the Ofce of the Cabinet Secretary and Governance Commission for GOCCs in a two-day, back-to-back workshop at Meranti Hotel. Participants form small groups
to work on their projects, applying the concepts of project management.
Supreme Court rules in favor of Lipa farmers TransCo
THE Supreme Court ruled that fect, permanently lifted the the local government in the area ter we have tilled it for genera-
the Comprehensive Agrarian Re-
form Program covers all lands
temporary restraining order it
previously issued in 2010 and
where the property is located,
the interpretation should be to-
tions, and CLOA titles had been
given to us more than 15 years
offering
that are suitable for agricultural
activities and only those which
upheld the rights of farm ben-
eciaries over more than 70
wards the declared intention of
the law.
ago, Cabungcal said.
Farmer leader Dominador P110-b
are reclassied as commercial, hectares of property located in Concurring in the decision Castillo said all the farmers
residential or industrial by the
local government as approved
Lipa City, Batangas originally
owned by Augusto Salas Jr.
were Senior Associate Justice
Antonio Carpio, chairperson of
and their families were very
thankful to the Duterte Admin-
projects
by the Housing and Land Use The decision was promulgated the Second Division, and Asso- istration which promised to
Regulatory Board before June on March 29, 2017. ciate Justices Francis Jardeleza, distribute farm lots to the farm- By Alena Mae S. Flores
15, 1988 are excluded from the In its 30-page decision in the Jose Mendoza and Samuel Mar- ers. Many of the beneciaries
STATE-OWNED National
program. case entitled Heirs of Augusto tires. have died from age and illness
Transmission Corp. wants to
The ruling provides that farm Salas Jr. represented by Teresita Marciano Cabungcal, one of already. At least our children build major transmission lines
lot is not among the exemptions Salas vs. Marciano Cabungcal, the beneciaries of the agrarian can study and have something costing up to P110 billion using
as the high court cited Rule V et. al. G.R. No. 191545, the reform program and leader of the of their own to start with, Cas- funds from the Malampaya gas
Section 18 (d) of the HLURB Supreme Court through Justice farm group, shared that the deci- tillo said. project in northwest Palawan, a
regulations dening farm lot Marvic Leonen ruled that the sion of the Supreme Court was a The Supreme Courts second top executive said.
subdivisions as planned com- general policy of Republic Act clear manifestation that justice division, in deciding the case, TransCo president Melvin
munity primarily for intensive 6657 is to cover as many lands still prevails. We thank the jus- answered the ultimate issue of Matibag said the proposed proj-
ects would include the Visayas-
agricultural activities and sec- suitable for agricultural activities tices and the president for their whether lot reclassied as far,
ondary for housing. as may be allowed. Where there wisdom and compassion. How exempts the property from the Mindanao interconnection
which private operator National
The Supreme Court, in ef- is doubt as to the intention of can Salas take away our land af- agrarian reform program.
Grid Corp. of the Philippines
wanted to construct by itself.
National Grid has a pending
Some personal thoughts on Venezuela application with the Energy
Regulatory Commission for the
construction of the transmis-
world. Mr. Alcock, who had come to consumer items. movement started by Hugo Chavez. sion line connecting Visayas
love the native country of his wife, Frank Alcock Jr., the only surviving Raquel invariably expressed the and Mindanao.
decided to take his family out of member of his immediate family, has view that the general situation was We have to validate it [cost].
Venezuela and back to England upon witnessed two dictatorships in his not good and appeared to be getting Around P90 to P110 billion for
the establishment of the dictatorial mothers country during his lifetime. worse. everything. For Visayas-Mind-
regime of Marcos Perez Jimenez. Mr. Truly a case of dj vu, he must be Raquel is back in Manila safe and anao, we benchmark it at P52
Alcock had reached the conclusion tolling himself. sound, and my family is happy. But billion, Matibag said.
that life in Venezuela under former My other personal thoughts for the country she left behind things [For] the connectivity of
general Perez Jimenez had become about Little Venice involve my got worse. Vis-Min, were coming out
unhealthy for a British couple and sister Raquel, who, during her Hugo Chavez governed Venezuela with a position that government
their two sons. The fact that Matilde service with the Department of like a virtual dictator, and his will do it. [We propose that]
Alcocks Venezuelan kinfolk, the Foreign Affairs, was posted to the successor, Nicolas Maduro, recently Congress allocate budget from
Perez Mattoses, were opponents of Philippine embassy in Caracas. took the crucial step of ordering the the Malampaya fund and other
the Perez Jimenez dictatorship did That embassy was once merely an election of a new National Assembly projects of the secretary, Ma-
not help matters any. adjunct of the Philippine embassy that he calculates will be amenable tibag said, referring to Energy
Frank and Matilde Alcock and their in Brasilia, with the ambassador to to the writing of a new Constitution Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
son Jimmythree of the nest people Brazil serving concurrently as non- with a termless-presidency provision. National Grid operates the
countrys transmission network
I have ever knownmust be turning resident ambassador to Venezuela. These personal associations that I
through a concession agree-
in their graves because of what has Subsequently, DFA decided that have with Venezuela make me feel
ment signed with the govern-
been happening in Venezuela during Venezuela was sufciently important sad about the bad times upon which ment. The transmission assets
the past decade. Under President it is one of the founding members that beautiful country has fallen and are still owned by government
Nicolas Maduro, the oil-rich Latin of the Organization of Petroleum hopeful that it will be able to resolve through TransCo.
American country has moved from Exporting Countriesto merit a its problems without descending into If we based it with NGCP,
democracy to mild socialism to Philippine embassy of its own. full-blown civil war. government can do it [cost]
full-blown socialism. Disdainful of During Raquels time in Venezuela, The Venezuelan situation embodies lower by at least 20 to 30 per-
criticism and democratic processes, the chief of mission was the able a big lesson for this country. cent, Matibag said.
antipathetic toward the Western Jocelyn Garcia, who had previously Filipinos who lived through the Edsa Matibag said while National
countries, suspicious of foreign been posted to a number of other Revolution must make absolutely Grid proposed to build the Vi-
capital and very friendly to Cuba, Philippine embassies. sure that they do not experience sayas-Mindanao interconnec-
It goes without saying that every another dictatorship in their lifetime. tion by 2020, TransCo could do
economy, once one of Latin conversation I had with my diplomat One Ferdinand Marcos in a lifetime it earlier.
Americas strongest, into virtual free- sister during her Caracas assignment is quite enough. There is a chance the inter-
fall, with dwindling external reserves, eventually turned to the deteriorating connection between Visayas
exploding government decits and geopolitical situation in Venezuela E-mail: romero.business.class@ and Mindanao will be done
shortages of even the most basic under Chavismo, the politico-social gmail.com during the administration of
Duterte, he said.
 Business TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
extrastory2000@gmail.com
B3

Former Ocean Bank CEO Nguyen Xuan Son (center, standing) stands trial along with former Ocean Bank chairman Ha Van Tham (second from
right, seated on rst row) at the Peoples Court in Hanoi on August 28, 2017. A former banking magnate and 50 others went on trial in Vietnam
on August 28 over a multi-million dollar fraud case at a major private bank, as the communist nation cracks down on corruption in the scandal-
tainted sector. AFP
51 bankers, traders on trial in Vietnam
HANOIA former banking
magnate and 50 others went on
trial in Vietnam Monday over
a multi-million dollar fraud at
a major private bank, as the
communist nation cracks down
on corruption in the sector.
Authorities have vowed to
clean up an industry plagued by
favoritism and dodgy loans
part of a broader drive against
corruption in the country.
In the latest trial the ex-
chairman of Ocean Bank,
Ha Van Tham, is accused of
illegally approving loans worth
$23 million in 2012, ultimately
leading to the banks demise and
stripping him of his status as one
of the countrys richest men.
Tham and 50 other bankers
and businessmen, most of whom
worked at Ocean Bank, face
various charges related to the
illegal loan in the 20-day trial
that opened Monday.
Some face the death penalty,
according to the lengthy
indictment.
The trial involves a record 50
defense lawyers and more than
700 witnesses, and is the second
time the accused have appeared
after a March trial was postponed
for further investigation.
Tham is accused of approving
the loan to the Trung Dung real
estate company without proper
collateral.
The head of the real estate
company, Pham Cong Danh,
is currently in jail after a
separate conviction of economic
mismanagement.
Ocean Group, which includes
real estate and hotel subsidiaries,
enjoyed a meteoric rise after
its founding in 2007, and was
valued at $500 million in 2013
under Thams stewardship.
But after Tham was arrested in
2014, most bank branches shut
and the State Bank of Vietnam,
the central bank, acquired Ocean
Bank for $0.
Ocean Group is still active
in real estate and hotels and
services and was valued at about
$3.5 million in 2016, according
to its website.
Vietnam has already jailed
dozens of bankers in other high-
prole banking cases, though
some say corrupt ofcials
should be targeted as part of the
crackdown.
In economic cases, only
enterprise managers and owners
are put on trial, not policymakers
or state ofcials... punishment of
party and state (ofcials) is not
strong enough, economic law
expert Nguyen Viet Khoa told
AFP.
In September last year 36
former Vietnam Construction
Bank employees were given jail
terms of up to 30 years, after
they were accused of secretly
withdrawing millions of dollars
from clients accounts to use for
loans or keep for themselves.
Bad debts have long plagued
the banking industry. They
make up some eight percent of
outstanding loans, according to
the state bank, though experts
say the real number could be far
higher.
Authorities have also targeted
other sectors in their anti-
corruption drive, though analysts
say convictions are often driven
by political inghting rather
than a genuine commitment to
reform.
This month Germany accused
Vietnam of kidnapping Trinh
Xuan Thanh, a former oil
executive accused of corruption,
from a Berlin park.
Ofcials in Vietnam said he
turned himself over to police in
Hanoi voluntarily. AFP
Euro hits
20-month
high; HK
stocks up
H
ONG KONGThe euro held its gains
on Monday as traders bet that the Euro-
pean Central Bank would start to wind
down its crisis-era stimulus program, while
lower expectations for further tightening in the
United States weighed on the dollar.
While ECB boss Mario
Draghi made no mention of the
banks plans for its bond-buying
scheme in a much-anticipated
speech Friday, analysts said his
optimism about the eurozone
economy was enough to fuel
euro buying.
Janet Yellens decision not to
discuss the Federal Reserves
plans for future interest rate rises
was also seen as an indication of
the US central banks reticence
to announce any more increases.
The single currency bought
$1.1933, its highest since Janu-
ary 2015, while it was also
around eight-year highs against
the pound. The dollar continued
to struggle against the yen.
While the ECB is widely ex-
pected soon to begin tapering its
stimulus, its policymakers are con-
cerned about the impact of a strong
currency on the blocs exports.
Mario Draghi will be tearing
his hair out, said Greg McK-
enna, chief market strategist at
AxiTrader.
If saying nothing can drive
the euro to its highest level since
January 2015 then the ECB pres-
ident and his colleagues will be
genuinely worried about the im-
pact an announcement to further
reduce its QE programme could
have on the single currency.
On equity markets Hong
Kong extended its winning run
into a fth straight day to reach
its highest level since summer
2015.
But Hong Kong-listed shares
in Wanda Hotel Development
Co plunged almost 10 percent at
one point even though the rm
denied reports that chairman
Wang Jianlin had been barred
from leaving China and detained
for hours. It pared some of the
losses but was still down almost
seven percent in late trade.
Shanghai added 0.9 percent
but Tokyo ended at, Sydney
shed 0.6 percent and Seoul was
off 0.4 percent.
In early European trade Paris
and Frankfurt each dipped 0.5
percent. London was closed for
a holiday.
Tech giant Samsung sank al-
most two percent in Seoul, ex-
tending Fridays losses after
Lee Jae-Yong, de facto head of
the worlds biggest smartphone
maker, was jailed for ve years
for bribing South Koreas ousted
president and other offenses.
The main US oil contract West
Texas Intermediate edged down
in early trade after surging at the
end of last week, as energy com-
panies were forced to shut down
some of their operations because
of deadly Hurricane Harvey.
Some offshore oil and gas
operators evacuated platforms
and rigs, although offshore pro-
duction was picking up a bit
Sunday, while onshore opera-
tors were shutting in what may
amount to hundreds of wells in
the Eagle Ford Shale in South
Texas, global energy informa-
tion provider S&P Global Platts
said. AFP

US broadcaster CBS Uber taps deal-maker, Trump agitator as CEO

buying Ten Network By Eric Newcomer
UBER Technologies Inc. will
SYDNEYAmerican broadcaster CBS has secured a deal to buy appoint Expedia Inc.s Dara
Australias third-largest television network, Ten, the embattled Khosrowshahi to run the global
stations administrators said Monday. ride-hailing leviathan, two
The Ten Network was placed in voluntary administration in June people familiar with the matter
after two billionaire backers refused to continue guaranteeing a key said. Hell succeed co-founder
loan of Aus$200 million (US$159 million). Travis Kalanick, who led the rm
CBSone of Tens key content providerswill fund the to $20 billion in annual bookings
before scandals forced him out.
purchase by renancing existing secured debt arrangements in full,
In hiring Expedias chief
the administrators said in a statement.
The agreement came after CBS in July claimed debts of Aus$843 executive ofcer, Uber will
land a seasoned deal-maker
million from Ten in a submission to the networks administrators,
Fairfax Media reported. and an outspoken critic of
President Donald Trump, whos
Network Ten has played a signicant role in Australias media
accustomed to sparring with one
landscape over many decades, and the sale of the business to CBS of his new companys biggest
will allow the iconic broadcaster to move into a new chapter on a rivals, Alphabet Inc. While a
strong and stable footing, Ten receiver and PPB Advisory Partner spokeswoman for Uber directors
Christopher Hill said in a statement. conrmed that theyve chosen a
The deal includes Channel Ten, digital channel One, digital CEO, she declined to name the
platform Tenplay, and digital channel Elevenof which CBS person, saying the board would
already owns a 33 percent stake. inform employees rst. Expedia
CBS said it would also launch its digital on-demand service CBS didnt immediately respond to
All Access in the Australian market. requests for comment.
We have been able to acquire (Network Ten) at a valuation Khosrowshahi will face a
that gives us condence we will grow this asset by applying our number of hurdles as Uber
programming expertise in a market with which we are already which has raised more than $15
familiar, CBS chairman and chief executive Leslie Moonves said billion from private investors
in a statement. navigates its way toward a
The deal needs approval from Australias Foreign Investment still-unscheduled initial public
offering. The new top executive
Review Board.
must grapple with the companys
Media analyst Peter Cox said CBS challenge would be to try to
keep a third commercial network in Australia viable, adding that a persistent losses, a high-stakes
trade secrets suit led by
third broadcaster in Britain and New Zealand had not worked.
Alphabets Waymo, a tarnished
He added that local programming would be key to Tens success
brand and low morale among
as the top rating shows were all Australian.
Ubers more than 15,000 global
The question is can CBS understand the Australian market and be employees.
able to pick the programs that are going to work, particularly the reality Ubers board met over the
programs, and whether they can become competitors with (the other weekend for a last round of
commercial broadcasters) Seven and Nine, Cox told AFP. interviews with candidates and
The announcement came just days after Tens former billionaire to discuss options, said people
backersLachlan Murdoch, the son of media titan Rupert, and familiar with the matter, who
Bruce Gordon, who owns regional network WINsecured asked not to be identied because
regulatory approval to bid for the network. the deliberations were private.
But any takeover by Murdochs investment company Illyria and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.
Gordons Birketu, which would have given them each a 50 percent CEO Meg Whitman and General
share, was dependent on the government changing media laws to Electric Co. Chairman Jeffrey
allow ownership across multiple platforms. Immelt were under consideration
Ten, one of Australias three commercial channels and which for the job.
broadcasts shows such as Im a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, The board ultimately went
has been on air since 1964. with a dark horse. Khosrowshahi
hadnt been named publicly as a
The station, like many media groups, has been hammered by
nalist during a CEO search that
slumping advertising revenues and posted a net loss in September-
February of Aus$232 million. AFP
was plagued by leaks, boardroom
inghting and a lawsuit involving
two directors. He has accepted
the position, people familiar with
the discussions said.
Khosrowshahi, 48, is an Iran-
born American who graduated
from Brown University with
an engineering degree. He had
a stint in investment banking
at Allen & Co. before joining
with billionaire Barry Diller at
IAC during the dot-com boom.
Khosrowshahi led an acquisition
binge in online travel, expanding
IACs Expedia with takeovers of
Orbitz and HomeAway.
Hes also one of the technology
industrys most outspoken
CEOs in opposition to some of
President Trumps policies. He
railed against the immigration
ban and mocked Trump on
Twitter as repeatedly failing
to rise to the expectations of
his ofce after the presidents
response to protests in
Charlottesville, Virginia. Ubers
long year of controversies
began in January when Kalanick
tried to justify his position on a
Trump business council before
ultimately resigning that post
after customers staged a boycott.
Khosrowshahi was effective
at marrying disparate businesses
across Expedia, many brought
together through acquisitions,
said Woody Marshall, an investor
in the online travel industry who
has known Khosrowshahi since
they were kids. Hes been able
to leverage technology in a
thoughtful way, said Marshall, a
general partner at venture capital
rm TCV, which isnt an Uber
investor. Hes the real deal. Hes
not bigger than life in terms of
his public appearance or public
personality. Hes bigger than life
in terms of culture and values.
Under Kalanick, Uber grew
into a massive global business.
In the second quarter of 2017,
the company lost $645 million
on $1.75 billion in net revenue.
During Kalanicks nearly seven-
year stint, the San Francisco-
based startup achieved a
$69-billion valuation, struck
partnerships with major auto
manufacturers, took a sizable
stake in its biggest global
competitor and established
itself as the premier ride-hailing
business in most of the developed
world. Kalanick earned a sort of
legendary Silicon Valley status,
elbowing into the ranks of
founders like Elon Musk and Jeff
Bezos.
However, Kalanick, 41,
cultivated a brash reputation and
played a central role in many of
the companys controversies.
He was caught on tape arguing
with an Uber driver over pay
and was tied to the companys
mishandling of medical records
for an Indian woman who had
been raped by an Uber driver.
Kalanick helped author the
companys cultural values, which
consultants described as a way to
justify bad behavior in the ofce.
He also drove the acquisition of
the autonomous trucking startup
Otto for $680 million in stock,
which led to a lawsuit from
Alphabet.
Khosrowshahi has experience
jousting with Alphabets Google.
Expedia was among Googles top
search advertisers. But as Google
began to promote more of its
own travel services, Expedia
was among the companies that
formally opposed the search
giants dominance in a European
Union antitrust case. Were
comfortably uncomfortable as it
relates to Google, Khosrowshahi
told Bloomberg in July.
Ubers search for a CEO
started as a bid to nd Kalanick
leadership help, a process that
began in March after Bloomberg
published a video of Kalanicks
verbal altercation with a driver.
It shifted focus to the top job
after Kalanicks resignation on
June 20. Ubers other leadership
needs include heads of nance
and marketing, a general counsel
and more independent board
members, including a chairman.
Uber is being led by a 14-person
management committee alongside
the eight-member board until the
new CEO starts. Bloomberg
 Ray S. Eano, Editor
business@thestandard.com.ph
extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017

Business
Harvey closes US reneries; oil mixed
S
INGAPORECrude prices were mixed
in Asian trade Monday as the closure of
reneries in US oil heartland Texas due to
monster storm Harvey was offset by sluggish
global demand.
Harvey rolled over the US Gulf prices to increase signicantly,
Coast and slammed into Texas global demand has to increase
on Friday as a huge Category 4 signicantly, Jude Clemente,
hurricane, sparking oods and principal at JTC Energy Re-
mass evacuations, and prompt- search Associates, LLC, said in
ing many oil reneries and ports an article on Forbes.
to shut down. Much higher oil demand is
US authorities said 22 percent the holy grail for oil bulls.
of crude production in the Gulf of Gasoline, however, surged to
Mexico was halted, while global the highest in two years as ood-
energy information provider ing from Tropical Storm Harvey
S&P Global Platts said roughly inundated rening centers along
2.2 million barrels per day of re- the Texas coast, shutting more
ning capacity was also affected. than 10 percent of US fuel-mak-
ExxonMobil said Sunday it ing capacity.
had closed its massive Baytown Harvey, the strongest storm
rening complexthe second- to hit the US since 2004, made
largest in the country. landfall as a hurricane Friday,
In early afternoon trade in ooding cities and shutting
Asia, Brent crude for October plants able to process some 2.26
was trading at $52.57 a barrel, up million barrels of oil a day. Pipe-
16 cents or 0.31 percent. lines were closed, potentially
US benchmark West Texas In- stranding some crude in West
termediate (WTI) for delivery in Texas and starving New York
October was at $47.69 a barrel, Harbor of gasoline.
down 18 cents, or 0.38 percent. Gasoline prices are going
The contract had closed nearly to continue to rise this week as
one percent higher in New York we expect another three days of
A sunken boat lies submerged in front of an oil rig after Hurricane Harvey hit Port Aransas, Texas on August 27, 2017. Hurricane Harvey hit the on Friday as Harvey churned in- rain in the Houston area, Andy
Texas coast with forecasters saying its possible for up to three feet of rain and 125 mpg wind. AFP land. Lipow, president of consultant
Some offshore oil and gas op- Lipow Oil Associates LLC in

Brexit talks face big gap as new round begins

BRUSSELS, BelgiumBritain
and the EU kick off a third round
of Brexit talks Monday, with
London impatient to agree its
future relationship with the bloc
while Brussels insists the divorce
settlement comes rst.
The European Unions chief
negotiator Michel Barnier will
meet his British counterpart Da-
vid Davis late afternoon in Brus-
sels for a rst exchange, followed
by three days of discussions and
a joint press conference.
The EU says there has to be
sufcient progress in three key
areasEU citizen rights, North-
ern Irelands border and the exit
billbefore it can consider Lon-
dons demand for talks on future
ties in October.
Britain says it would be best
to negotiate the two in parallel
and that settling trade issues may
even help with other problems
such as the future EU-UK border
between Northern Ireland and
the Republic.
That is a complete no-go for
Brussels which made no secret
of the fact that it expects little
progress in bridging what of-
cials last week called a very big
gap.
They also blamed Britain for
a lack of substance despite a
urry of position papers they deadline and that they are the
said were strong on aspiration
but short on detail.
Barnier last week listed on
Twitter the EUs own negotiating
documents, noting: EU posi-
tions clear and transparent since
day one.
Davis said Monday the Brit-
ish papers were products of the
hard work and detailed thinking
that has been going on behind the
scenes and should form the basis
of what I hope will be a construc-
tive week of talks.
Were ready to roll up our
sleeves and get down to work
once more, he added.
Both sides have repeatedly
warned that the clock is ticking
down to the March 2019 Brexit
tion that technology could help
ones doing their best to make
progress.
The situation is complicated
by sharp divisions within Prime
Minister Theresa Mays Conser-
vative government after a June
election gamble backred and
she lost her parliamentary major-
ity.
May remains in ofce thanks
to a deal with Northern Ire-
lands ultra-conservative Dem-
ocratic Unionist Party which
views the Republic with deep
suspicion.
EU ofcials warned last week
that the hard-won Northern Ire-
land peace process could not be
used as a bargaining chip.
As for Londons sugges-
prevent the border becoming
a barrier to trade and the peace
process, that was just a lot of
magical thinking, one EU of-
cial said. AFP
erators evacuated platforms and
rigs, although offshore produc-
tion was picking up a bit Sunday,
while onshore operators were
shutting in what may amount to
hundreds of wells in the Eagle
Ford Shale in South Texas,
Platts said.
It said however that reners
have not reported any damage so
far.
The Texas Gulf Coast is home
to 4.944 million barrels per day
of rening capacity, while the
Louisiana Gulf Coast accounts
for 3.696 million barrels per day,
Platts said, citing data from the
US Energy Information Admin-
istration.
But analysts said sluggish
global demand remained a drag
on the market.
The bottom line is that for oil
Houston, said by phone. With
pipeline operators beginning to
shut down their crude oil and
rened product infrastructure, I
expect to see further curtailment
of renery operations. A spike in
gasoline and diesel prices will
drag up crude oil prices.
Oil has traded this month in
the tightest range since Febru-
ary as investors weigh rising
global supply against output
cuts by members of the Organi-
zation of Petroleum Exporting
Countries and its allies. As Har-
vey led to widespread ooding,
Royal Dutch Shell Plc shut its
Deer Park plant, while Magel-
lan Midstream Partners LP sus-
pended its inbound and outbound
rened products and crude pipe-
line transportation services in the
Houston area. AFP

Kuroda World central bankers defend post-crisis reforms

to push By Jeanna Smialek, ience. Yellens term as chair

on with Alessandro Speciale

stimulus
BANK of Japan Governor Har-
uhiko Kuroda pledged to forge on
with very accommodative mon-
etary policy as he warned that his
ination target remains distant
and the current pace of growth in
the worlds third-largest economy
looks unsustainable.
Speaking in an interview with
Bloomberg in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming, Kuroda also said the
BoJs yield-curve control pro-
gram has been working quite
well and that he doesnt see a
need to adjust it at present. He
added that the BoJ may be able
to control rates while buying
fewer Japanese government
bonds and that the market is still
functioning quite well.
The BoJ chief, who joined
Federal Reserve Chair Janet
Yellen and European Central
Bank President Mario Draghi
at the mountain retreat for an
annual gathering of monetary
policy makers, is grappling
with an economy thats in its
longest run of expansion in
more than a decade but is still
failing to generate signicant
wage gains and a healthy level
of ination.
I think 4 percent growth is
excellent but we dont think 4
percent growth can be sustained.
Around 2 percent growth is
likely, Kuroda told Bloomberg
Televisions Kathleen Hays. I
think for some time we have to
continue this extremely accom-
modative monetary policy.
Bloomberg
and Michael McKee
LEADERS of the worlds most
powerful central banks defended
post-crisis reforms at their an-
nual retreat in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming, while discussing the
causes and consequences of pop-
ulist waves that have reshufed
the political order in the US and
Europe.
Monetary policy wasnt a
major focus during the three-
day gathering. When it was
discussed, the messages from
the Federal Reserve and Euro-
pean Central Bank stressed their
gradual approaches to unwinding
emergency-era stimulus as global
growth picks up.
Policy makers instead poured
over the pros and cons of free
trade and made a full-throated
defense of the safety net created
since the 2008 nancial melt-
down, which President Donald
Trump wants to roll back. Brit-
ains vote to divorce from Eu-
rope, Trumps election and the
anti-immigrant presidential can-
didacy of Marine Le Pen loomed
large over the event.
Top ofcials came out swing-
ing against populist rhetoric. Fed
Chair Janet Yellen gave her stron-
gest defense yet of embattled -
nancial rules, while her euro-area
counterpart Mario Draghi warned
of protectionisms perils. Econo-
mists chewed over how to miti-
gate globalizations distributional
problems in a way that doesnt
subtract from already-tempered
global growth.
A central element of efforts to
raise productivity growthand
build a dynamic global econo-
mymust involve responding to
these concerns about openness,
Draghi said in an address Friday.
A turn towards protectionism
would pose a serious risk for con-
tinued productivity growth and
potential growth in the global
economy.
Global Growth
Protecting growth is an impor-
tant priority for central banks,
because weak GDP gains curb
how high they can raise interest
rates, limiting how far they can
cut rates to ght a recession.
Economists generally favor
free trade, because it boosts
standards of living, drives down
product and service costs and
improves idea dispersion. But it
also created haves and have-nots,
driving wealth toward networked
cities and the highly educated
while shifting manufacturing
jobs away from developed coun-
tries.
Anger over those changes be-
came a rallying cry for leaders
such as Trump, who has advocat-
ed tighter immigration controls,
renegotiating trade agreements
and preventing off-shoringall
with the goal of reinvigorating
Janet Yellen,
chairman
expires in February and econo-
mists polled by Bloomberg
dont expect Trump to pick her
of Board of
Governors of
the Federal
for another four-year stint.
Monetary Policy
Reserve System Slow progress aside, the
(left), and global economy is in its best
Mario Draghi, shape in nearly a decade. The
president of Fed is gradually reducing mon-
the European
etary accommodation and the
Central Bank,
walk the ECB is contemplating when to
begin tapering mass asset pur-
grounds at
the Jackson chases, even though ination
Hole economic lingers below central bankers
symposium, targets in both places.
sponsored by Jackson Hole discussions of-
the Federal
Reserve Bank fered little insight into the out-
look for those policies, and the
of Kansas
City, in Moran, limited comments policy mak-
Wyoming. ers did make hardly budged the
Bloomberg needle.
Yellen largely avoided talk-
ing about the current state of
the economy or the outlook.
Bank of Japan Governor Har-
middle-class wages. uhiko Kuroda, in a Bloomberg
The US president has also been Television interview, said that
taking aim at the Dodd-Frank the recent pace of growth in the
Act, the 2010 law enacted in worlds third-largest economy
response to the nancial crisis, is probably unsustainable and
which he and congressional Re- pledged to continue with very
publicans blame for handicap- accommodative monetary policy
ping the US economy. Yellen, in for some time because ination
perhaps her nal speech at Jack- is still too low.
son Hole as Fed chair, took issue Draghi reiterated that that the
with Trumps narrative. ECB will go extremely slowly
Core reforms we have put in when it starts removing monetary
place have substantially boosted stimulus, with a decision expect-
resilience without unduly limit- ed in the autumn. He said ina-
ing credit availability or eco- tion is taking time to converge
nomic growth, she said. Any to the banks 2 percent goal, in
adjustments to the regulatory part because wages respond only
framework should be modest and slowly to a closing employment
preserve the increase in resil- gap. Bloomberg
 LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS
PET PARK. A man feeds his cat on a pet playground while owners raise up their dogs to be blessed by a priest (inset) as the first ever SM Pet Park opened in SM City in Taytay, Rizal. The parks launch coincided with the
celebration of International Dogs Day on Aug. 26. Norman Cruz
Mayors, Ormeco in turf war
By Robert A. Evora
C
ALAPAN CITYWith over more than
185,000 member-consumers affected, the
provincial mayors league here and the
board of directors of Oriental Mindoro Electric
Cooperative Inc. or Ormeco are clashing over
the management of the power firm.
This came about as the ousted
Ormeco general manager continued
to defy an order from the National
Electrification Administration re-
placing him with an acting GM.
Dasma
marks
hospitals
first year
By Maricel V. Cruz
THE Pagamutan ng Das-
marias a five-storey, state-
of-the-art public hospital
fully funded and operated by
the City Government of Das-
marias in Cavite to address
the health needs of constitu-
entscelebrates its first an-
niversary today.
Dasmarias City Rep. Jen-
nifer Austria-Barzaga and
her husband, Mayor Elpidio
Barzaga Jr., said the hospital
has been of great help to the
people of Dasmarias.
We have been saving lives
for a year now and we look
forward to continue to do so
with the support of our con-
stituents, said Mayor Bar-
zaga, also a former legislator.
The core principle of the
Pagamutan is Commitment
and Care for the Community
with Competence and Com-
passion, Rep. Jenny Bar-
zaga, a nurse by profession,
said.
This public hospital is a
hallmark that the City Gov-
ernment of Dasmarias is
committed in providing the
best public service in terms
of healthcare and wellness,
she said.
The hospital was construct-
ed using only the citys funds
without aid from the national
government and the private
sector.
Construction began in Sep-
tember 2012 during the term of
then-Mayor Jennifer Barzaga.
Outgoing GM Patrocinio Pa-
nagsagan, Jr., with his supporters,
are still holed inside the premises
of the barricaded front office of
the electric cooperative.
MASS WEDDING. Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez (second from left) stands with one of the couples who got married in the
mass wedding sponsored by the city government at the City Training Center. Robbie Pangilinan
Wounded forester gets top DENR honors
AN EMPLOYEE of the Depart-
ment of Environment and Natu-
ral Resources, who was shot and
wounded by a suspected illegal
logger in Palawan province last
Aug. 23, received the highest
commendation from Secretary
Roy A. Cimatu on Monday, as
the country marked National
Heroes Day.
Cimatu awarded Joselito Eyala,
a forester at the Community En-
vironment and Natural Resources
Quezon City pride councils to convene today
By Rio N. Araja
THE Quezon Citys Pride Council of les-
bian, gay, bisexual and transgender from
the citys 142 barangays will convene on
Tuesday at 1 p.m. to consider the needs
of this sector, and integrate programs and
NEA Administrator Edgardo
R. Masongsong had replaced
Panagsagan with Orlando M.
Andres as acting GM effec-
tive August 16. Andres is from
NEAs central office in Manila.
Out of 121 electric cooperatives
all over the country under NEA su-
pervision, four, including Ormeco,
are being given special attention
in the current investigation of ECs
that have complaints concerning
reliability, especially regarding the
duration and frequency of power
interruptions, the agency said.
The NEA will take over the
management of ailing electric
Office in Puerto Princesa City, the
Medalya ng Bayani ng Kalikasan
(Medal of Heroism for the Envi-
ronment) for his remarkable ded-
ication to public service, bravery
and leadership.
It is my honor to give you
this award, especially during
National Heroes Day, Cimatu
said during his visit to Eyala at
the Philippine General Hospital,
where the forester was awaiting
surgery to remove bullets lodged
projects at the grassroots level.
Mayor Herbert Bautista gave the 142
barangay chairmen in the city until Aug.
31 to create their own pride councils.
What the city is doing right now is to
make sure that all LGBTQ communities
shall be organized, he said.
cooperatives and suspend erring
general managers who are found
to be remiss of their mandates,
according to NEAs directive by
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
There is no exemption. If
they [cooperatives] fail, we will
determine the reasons behind
this and take appropriate ac-
tions, NEA Deputy Adminis-
trator Artis Tortola said.
The seven-man Ormeco
board of directors, presided by
Teodoro de la Cruz Jr., passed
a resolution acknowledging and
accepting the appointment of
Andres as the duly appointed
in his palate and back.
We want you to know that we
are thankful for what you did, and
that the DENR will take care of
you, Cimatu said. We need peo-
ple like you in the service.
Cimatu, a former military
chief, also awarded Eyala with
a Purple Heart, an honor usually
given to soldiers wounded in the
line of duty.
He likewise commended the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
Bautista issued a memorandum circular,
directing the barangay operations center to
inform the barangay officials and the other
stakeholders about the Aug. 29 meeting.
He said whatever measures to be
adopted by the pride council must be
submitted to the 36-member city council
Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor
Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor
jimbo.gulle@gmail.com
mslocalgov@gmail.com
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 C1
Manilans
asked to
help curb
supervisor and acting general
manager of the cooperative ef-
trip-cutting
fective Aug. 18, 2017.
Andres was also designated,
in the same resolution, as the
By Bill Casas
new authorized signatory to all
bank accounts of Ormeco.
However, the League of Mu- MANILA Mayor Joseph Erap
nicipalities of the Philippines Estrada on Monday has acti-
vated a special unit to apprehend
headed by Socorro, Oriental
jeepney and bus drivers habitu-
Mindoro Mayor Maria Fe Bron-
dialwill submit a petition on ally committing trip-cutting
Tuesday to President Rodrigo after being swamped with com-
Duterte expressing the Oriental plaints from commuters.
Mindoro mayors full support Estrada also asked the pub-
for the retention of Panagsagan lic to report any cutting trip to
as Ormeco general manager. the Manila Traffic and Parking
Bureau through Manila City
Halls Facebook community
page (https://www.facebook.
com/mayorjosephestrada/) for
immediate action.
Trip-cutting is a violation of
their franchise, and it is an in-
justice to the paying passengers.
We should stop this illegal prac-
tice at once, Estrada said.
Trip-cutting is the practice of
PUV drivers to cut short their
route due to petty reasons, such
as traffic congestion, to save
on fuel.
The Land Transportation
and Franchising Board im-
poses a fine of P5,000 on trip-
cutting violators.
As directed by Estrada,
MTPB chief Dennis Alcoreza
said he has formed a 12-man
team to go around the city and
apprehend trip-cutting drivers.
Based on complaints reported
by netizens to city halls Face-
book community page, trip-cut-
ting is rampant in the following
routes: R. Papa-Rizal Avenue;
Divisoria-Recto-San Juan; Har-
rison Plaza-Baclaran-Buendia;
Sta. Ana-Padre Faura-Robin-
sons Place; and City Hall-Taft
Avenue-Baclaran, among others.
and Philippine Air Force person- Our anti-trip-cutting cam-
nel who airlifted Eyala from Pala- paign will be carried out merci-
wan to Manila and brought him to lessly. This is continuing, until
the PGH on Aug. 25. those erring jeepney and bus
Cimatu also informed Eyala he drivers realize it is no longer
had been promoted from Forester practical to cut short their trips,
I to Forester II with an increase in Alcoreza said.
salary grade. So, Im appealing to the pub-
The environment chief also as- lic for their cooperation. If you
sured Eyala that the DENR will cannot report it in person, report
shoulder all his hospital expenses the details to Manilas commu-
and that he will receive financial as- nity page. We assure you that we
sistance to aid him in his recovery. will act on it, he added.
for notification.
According to Bautista, the city gov-
ernment has adopted a stick-and-carrot
approach to recognize outstanding insti-
tutions and corporations which employ
conscious efforts that protect and enhance
the rights of the LGBT community.
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Manila

LGUs
Standard
C2 TODAY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017

AFP: Marawi war on terror Menros

shows real challenge to US
(Conclusion) US airstrike on pro-Isis militants
lair in Marawi. This prompted
By Nash Maulana reporters in Manila covering the
Department of Defense to seek re-
Al-Rashid Alonto Lucman (both
cousins of Governor Soraya)
are fourth and third generation-
descendants of Sultan Alawya
seek LGU
permanent
positions
No.1 [2004] Edited by Bernardi- BAYOMBONG, Nueva Viz-
ta Reyes Churchill, Manila: Na- cayaDesignated City and
tional Commission for Culture Municipal Environment and
and the Arts). Natural Resources Officers

M
action from Armed Forces of the Alonto of Ramain, who even- The Center for Philippine here are asking lawmakers to
ARAWI CITY More than a century Philippines Chief of Staff General tually became a member of the Studies at University of Hawaii turn their optional positions
after the first coming of the Americans Eduardo Ao, who said a direct Commonwealth Senate. at Mnoa in Honolulu, Hawaii into permanent one through
here, US Secretary of State Rex airstrike intervention is not part Sultan Alontos son, Senator introduces Dr. Abaya-Ulin- the Local Government Code
of the Mutual Defense Treaty be- Ahmad Domocao Alonto was a dangs works as one that pre- of 1991.
Tillerson hinted a second coming by US soldiers tween the two countries. second-generation senator elected sents a detailed annotation and Many if not all of Cenros
for the real challenge. On July 27, US Ambassador in 1955, eight years after the sul- analysis of the papers of John and Menros have been dedicat-
Sung Y. Kim and Lt. Gen. Bryan tans Senate term ended in 1947. J. Pershing, currently housed at ing and committing our time
Native Maranao Moros and to address the threat posed by the Fenton, Deputy Commander of Hitt wrote: Before reaching the Manuscripts Division of the and effort as frontliners of the
American troops fought fiercely terrorist group Isis with stronger the US Pacific Command, deliv- the main cottas, detachments were Library of Congress, Washing- governments implementation
in the Battle of Bayang in 1903. regional security cooperation, to ered to the AFP-Philippine Air landed. On each side of the river, ton, D.C., based on the materials of environmental programs,
Days later, Camp Vicars was es- ensure this modern-day lake con- Force two Cessna 208B Recon- between the cotta walls and the collected from that repository projects and activities, said
tablished a few miles away from flict would not be repeated. naissance Aircraft. stream was a narrow trail, along and deposited to the library of Joseph Openia, Menro of Ari-
the south lakeshore. The camp Early in August, Tillerson de- Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan which the detachments, in single Mindanao State University. tao town.
was named after First Lieutenant clared in Washington that the Peter Cayetano and Defense Sec- file, kept pace with the leading boat. In her study on land disposses- He said that at present, Men-
Thomas Vicars, the commander presence of Isis-inspired groups retary Delfin Lorenzana, along While moving up the river, many sion, Dr. Abaya-Ulindang in- ro/Cenro position is not yet a
of Company F, 2nd Battalion of here makes this security concern with AFP Chief of Staff General armed Moros were seen running vestigates the history of the Eco- mandate among local govern-
the 27th Infantry, who was killed a global issue. Ao and Lt Gen Edgar Fallorina, from cotta to cotta; they carried nomic Development Corporation ment units, placing them under
in the Battle of Bayang. I think our next steps on the PAF Commanding General, re- rifles, kampilans, and krises, and (EDCOR) settlement project as an the mercy of new political ad-
A key figure in the US troops global war to defeat ISIS are to ceived the new aircraft units. Fal- were evidently hastening to a large instrument of counter-insurgency ministrations.
was Captain John Pershing, whose recognize ISIS is a global is- lorina said the new aircraft units cotta at the upper end of the town. during the 1950s and its relevance Openia said they have already
mission was to bring the Ma- sue. We already see elements of will be placed under the custody Led by two officers, a dash to the contemporary Mindanao made a dent on the implementa-
ranaos of Lake Lanao under US ISIS in the Philippines, as youre of PAFs 300th Air Intelligence was made into the cotta. Hardly unrest. (Three EDCOR sites tion of the Ecological Solid Waste
jurisdiction. Camp Vicar was later aware, gaining a foothold. Some and Security Group. had they entered before the two were established in 1951 in Kapa- Management Act in Aritao town
renamed Camp Keithleyand in of these fighters have gone to the officers were shot down. These tagan, Lanao, and in Buldon and but now in fear of its non-suste-
more recent years to Camp Amai Philippines from Syria and Iraq, The first lake war were the first shots fired. The bat- Alamada, both in Cotabato.) nance once a new administration
Pakpak, a legendary local hero. Tillerson said in a press briefing in Brave Maranao ancestors talion had seen many armed Mo- As an instrument of pacifica- in the LGU comes in.
Over 100 years later, Tillerson the White House on August 3. were witness to the Spanish-US ros, but in pursuance of a peaceful tion, the governing philosophy Among their gains on the
said: The real challenge is go- Tillerson said the US provides Naval War unfolding in Lake policy, had refrained from shoot- of land settlements in Mindanao ESWMP, he said were the crea-
ing to come with once they have the Philippines with surveillance Lanao at the turn of the 20th ing. Orders required the arrest of was traced to the homestead pro- tion of SWMP committees in all
the fighting brought to an end, capabilities, training, informa- century. the sultan, if possible, without the gram of the American coloniz- sectors and are now conducting
(on) how to deal with the condi- tion and aircraft to help it fight In his post-conflict report titled, shedding of blood. ers or as far back as the Spanish regular meetings to address the
tions on the ground to ensure it the militants. He said the equip- Amphibious Infantry: A Fleet on The few men that had gained reduccion. Agricultural colonies implementation of SWMP pro-
does not re-emerge. ment includes a few Cessna air- Lake Lanao, US Naval Institute entrance to the cotta gallantly were established in Cotabato grams, projects and activities,
At the very least, it would be craft and a few drones. Proceedings (1938), Lieutenant covered the Moros until the and Lanao provinces during the institutionalization of waste seg-
likely that the real challenge in At one point, Tillerson was Parker Hitt said retreating Span- wounded officers (were safely res- first decade of American rule. regation and recycling among
Tillersons statement is being able even quoted as having offered a ish troops in Lake Lanao sunk cued); they then the detachment These colonies were intend- barangays, establishment of eco-
American naval boats on the eve was reinforced, and immediately ed to assimilate the native Mus- park, reduction of plastic and
of the Spanish-American War. charged and captured the cotta. lims with the Christianized Fili- Styrofoam use in the public mar-
Hitt wrote that the American This method of attack was pinos, or to make a Filipino out ket, distribution of eco-bags for
ERRORS & OMISSIONS NOTICE OF
WITHDRAWAL
OF LICENSE troops raised those boats and continued until there was dan- of a Moro, according to Gover- the villagers and synchronized
made them operational again ger of firing into the other com- nor (Frank) Carpenter of the De- river cleanup, among others.
In Classified Ads section must be Notice is hereby given
that SAN PASCUAL for use in the Moro campaign mand, which was slowly forcing partment of Mindanao and Sulu. But Forester George Canapi,
COGENERATION
around Lake Lanao. its way through the swamps to Settlements were laid in such Department of Environment
brought to our attention the very C O M P A N Y ,
INTERNATIONAL B.V. will
file a Petition to Withdraw
According to a report by Ma- the rear of the town. All firing a way that the Filipino would have and Natural Resources-Envi-
jor J.S. Parke, in early December then ceased; trumpet calls kept a Moro as neighbor. While the ronment Management Bureaus
day the advertisement is published. License with the Securities
of Exchange Commission
after three weeks from the
1903, American troops of the each command informed of the initial impetus for these projects Solid Waste Management Sec-
We will not be responsible for any initial publication of this
notice on August 22, 2017.
First Battalion, 22nd US Infan-
try Regiment, arrived in Iligan.
position of the other command
until a junction was (achieved).
were economic in nature, i.e., to
increase the interaction between
tion chief, they have already
proposed the concern for a per-
incorrect ads not reported to us For said petition, the
company will certify that it
has no known creditors as
One battalion was temporarily Second Lieutenant Campbell the native Muslims and Christian- manent position among MEN-
of the filing of the petition. stationed in Pantar, and the rest W. Flake, who was killed in ac- ized Filipinos, resulting in cultur- ROs/CENROs that should be
immediately. (MS-AUG. 22,29 & SEPT. 5, 2017) of the regiment set up camp in tion, became the lone fatality in al amalgamation was just as im- mandated by the LGC of 1991.
Marahui (Marawi). the Ramaien Expedition. portant, Abaya-Ulindang wrote. We have already tapped the
On Jan. 23, 1904, the US On March 18, 1935, Maranao support of lawmakers who also
A Sure Bet for Progress in Gaming, Entertainment and Nation Building troops boarded barges and na- Land dispossession leaders sent a manifesto to the US recognized the need for such
InvItatIon to BId for the Supply and delIvery of televISIon SetS for dIStrIButIon to puBlIc SchoolS
tive Moro canoes and coursed In her annotation of the papers Congress. Better known as the position among LGUs, includ-
and other agencIeS/InStItutIonS under ITB No. PB17-041COR-06a-08 (REBIDDING) seven miles across the north- of John J. Pershing, Dr. Faina C. Dansalan Declaration, Datu Hadji ing members of the League of
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting all interested bidders in its ern end of Lanao Lake to an Abaya-Ulindang wrote: As an Abdulhamid Bongabong of Un- Municipalities of the Philip-
forthcoming rebidding for the Supply and Delivery of Television Sets for Distribution to Public Schools
and other Agencies/Institutionsunder ITB No. PB17-041COR-06a-08.
expedition against the Sultan instrument of pacification, the ayan and 189 other Maranao datus pines. We hope that this will be
Supply and Delivery of Television Sets for Distribution to Public
of Ramain. governing philosophy of land signed the manifesto, which stated, addressed soon by amending
Brief Description Schools and other Agencies/Institutions Incidentally, the present top settlements in Mindanao was among others: Should the Ameri- the LGC of 1991, he said.
Within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of receipt by the
winning supplier/contractor of the Notice to Proceed or upon officials of Lanao SurGover- traced to the homestead pro- can people grant Philippine inde- Canapi was one of the lectur-
Delivery Schedule instruction from the end-user; Partial delivery is allowed in the span of
One Hundred and Eighty (180) days. nor Soraya Alonto, Vice Gover- gram of the American coloniz- pendence, the islands of Mindanao ers during the recent Training of
Approved Budget for the Twenty-Four Million Pesos (PhP24,000,000.00), VAT Exclusive, Zero-
Contract (ABC) Rated Transaction.
nor Bombit Alonto Adiong, As- ers or as far back as the Spanish and Sulu should not be included in Trainors on Upgrading the Ca-
Source of Funds Corporate Budget for CY 2017 semblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, reduccion. Agricultural colonies such independence. Our public land pability of Basura Patrollers as
Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) yearsbefore the date of submission and receipt and Congressman Ansaruddin were established in Cotabato should not be given to other people Solid Waste Enforcers and Edu-
of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding
Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. Alonto Adiong, as well as their and Lanao provinces during the other than the Moro Nation. That cators Team in Cagayan Valley
Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary
uncles Abul Khayr Alonto and first decade of American rule. manifesto has remained unfulfilled at the Tam-an Resort in Bayom-
pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) ARMM Vice Governor Haroun (Batis ng Kasaysayan, Vol I, until now. bong town. Ben Moses Ebreo
9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least

sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to

Transform farms as learning, tourism sites

citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to
Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

PAGCORwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference, which shall beopen to prospective bidders.

All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and
Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its IRR.
By Abe Almirol
The schedule of bidding activities is listed, as follows:
Activities Date, Time and Venue ANGELES CITY, Pampanga
Teach the young to farm.
1. Issuance of the Bidding August 29, 2017 (Tuesday) to September 18, 2017 (Monday)
Documents
2. Pre-Bid Conference September 6, 2017 (Wednesday), 10:00 a.m. @
Corporate Lounge, Sixth (6TH) Floor, New World Manila Bay and
Make your farms attractive to
Casino, 1588 M.H. Del Pilar Corner Pedro Gil Sts., Malate, Manila local tourists.
3. Deadline for the
Submission and Receipt
September 18, 2017 (Monday) at 2:00 p.m. @ Corporate Lounge,
Sixth (6TH) Floor, New World Manila Bay and Casino, 1588 M.H.
Thats how Senator Cyn-
of Bids Del Pilar Corner Pedro Gil Sts., Malate, Manila thia A. Villar prodded Luzon-
4. Opening and Preliminary September 18, 2017 (Monday) at 2:00 p.m. onwards
Examination of Bids
based farmers who finished the
Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Procurement Department (PD), acting as
Climate-Smart Farm Business
the BAC Secretariat, of PAGCOR and/or inspect the Bidding Documents at Room 203, Second (2nd) School course administered by
Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila during office hours of PAGCOR from
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the Agricultural Training Insti-
A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders upon payment of the tute, an agency attached to the
applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the
amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Pesos (PhP25,000.00).
Department of Agriculture.
Central Luzon agency heads
Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following
websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided joined Villar at the graduation
that bidders shall pay the applicable fee of the Bidding Documents not later than the deadline for the
submission and receipt of bids.
ceremonies held at the Grace
Crown hotel here on Friday.
Prospective bidders should present to PAGCORs Cashier located at the Sixth(6th) Floor, PAGCOR
Corporate Office, New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 M.H. del PilarStreet corner Pedro Gil Street, They were Regional Director
Malate, Manila either the Payment Slip which may be secured from PD or a copy of this ITB in
effecting payment for the Bidding Documents.
Andrew A. Bido of Tesda, Re-
gional Director Caroline Uy of
the Department of Tourism, and
Bidders shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of his bid, and PAGCOR
will in no case be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the
bidding process.
Center Director Veronica CV.
Bidders should note that PAGCOR will accept bids only from those that have paid the applicable fee for
the Bidding Documents. Esguerra of ATI, who served as
All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated
the training manager.
in ITB Clause 18. Villar heads the Senate Com-
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the venue mittee on Agriculture and Food.
of the bid opening. Late bids shall not be accepted. Of course, we want you to
PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any earn some extra income while
expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.
serving as learning sites. To max- Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food chairperson Senator Cynthia A. Villar happily sends off 30 Luzon
In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 06-2005 - Tie-Breaking farmers who finished the Climate-Smart Farm Business School course of the DA-ATI. Abe Almirol
Method, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC)shall use a non-discretionary and non-discriminatory imize your time and effort, earn
measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is DRAW LOTS, in the event that two or more bidders
have been post-qualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid
more when you get accredited as
(LCRB) to determine the final bidder having the LCRB, based on the following procedures: a farm tourism site by the DOT, learning centers we have visited Zambawood-Julyans Pine (Triala, Guimba, Nueva Ecija),
a)
b)
In alphabetical order, the bidders shall pick one rolled paper.
The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a CONGRATULATIONS remark shall be
the senator added. are great models, said Denver Beach Farm (San Narciso, Zam- Santtoni Farms-Maria Lourdes
declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract. The 10-day training course is a Ordonio, a participating com- bales), Banares Farm (Orani, Roque (Dona Remedios Trini-
PAGCORreserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all
bids at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without
module approved by the Food and munity organizer in Santa Fe, Bataan), Don Basilio Farm (Ge- dad, Bulacan), Our Farm Repub-
thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. Agriculture Organization of the Nueva Vizcaya. rona, Tarlac), Tarlac Okra Grow- lic (Managtarem, Pangasinan),
Please address all communications to the BAC thru PD, Room 203, Second (2nd) Floor, PAGCOR United Nations. Thirty farmers who finished ers PMPC (Tarlac City), St. John LGU Farm (San Felipe, Zam-
House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, Tel No.: 524-3911, 336-6906 and/or 521-1542 local
223 or 671.
People in the concrete jun- the course represented farms who Regis Farm (Cabanatuan City), bales), Atanacio Farm (Palayan
gles of Metro Manila will find are already ATI-accredited learn- FDN Agri Eco Center (Palayan City), and Tibbys Farm (Ange-
new attractive vacation desti- ing sites or still seeking accredita- City), IGBs Farm (General Ti- les City, Pampanga) which are
(sgd)RODERICK R. CONSOLACION
Chairperson
Bids and awards Committee (BaC) 2
(MS-AUG. 29, 2017) nations. The farm resorts and tion, which are as follows: nio, Nueva Ecija), Myriad Farms all found in Central Luzon.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

 World TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 C3

Guru
awaits
verdict
for rape
ROHTAK, IndiaIndian police
warned Monday they would use
all necessary force to maintain
order when a controversial guru
is sentenced for rape, days after
his followers went on a rampage
that left 38 dead.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
could be handed a life sentence
at a prison-side court hearing
starting at 2.30 pm (0900 GMT)
in the northern city of Rohtak,
where authorities have imposed
intense security due to fears his
fervent devotees could turn vio-
lent again.
Tens of thousands of his
supporters set re to cars and
clashed with security forces in
the northern state of Haryana
just minutes after Singh was
found guilty Friday of raping
two of his followers.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi condemned the violence
but his ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party, which is also in power in
Haryana, was criticized for fail-
ing to anticipate the riots.
Police are taking no chances
in Rohtak, where mobile internet
has been cut, roads barricaded
with barbed wire and soldiers
deployed to man checkpoints.
More than 100 of Singhs se-
nior loyalists have been placed
in detention as a precautionary
measure, said Rohtak police
chief Navdeep Singh Virk.
He said his ofcers would use BEFORE THE HAJJ. Iranian Muslim pilgrims wait at the Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia on August 27, 2017, before the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca. AFP
whatever force is required to

2-million Muslims converge

resist the gurus devotees should
they again resort to violence.
If the situation so arises that
[we] need to use rearms, my
ofcers have complete author-
ity, the police chief told broad-

in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj

caster NDTV.
A judge is being own by he-
licopter to sentence the 50-year-
old spiritual leader known as the
guru in bling for his penchant
for bejeweled costumes. AFP

Leaders
meet for
migration
summit
PARISLeaders from seven
African and European countries
meet in Paris on Monday for a
mini-summit to discuss how to
ease the EUs migrant crisis.
French President Emmanuel
Macron has invited his counter-
parts from Niger and Chad as
well as the head of the Libyan
unity government Fayez al-Sar-
raj, whose countries lie on the
main transit route for migrants
heading to Europe.
German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, Spanish and Italian
prime ministers Mariano Rajoy
and Paulo Gentiloni, and Eu-
ropes top diplomat, Federica
Mogherini, will join the talks.
European nations are keen to
offer development aid and fund-
ing to their African partners in
return for help in stemming the
ow of economic migrants and
asylum seekers.
A total of 125,000 migrants
have crossed the Mediterranean
by boat this year, according to
UN gures, with the vast major-
ity arriving in Italy before trav-
eling on to other EU members.
An estimated 2,400 have died en
route.
France is seeking improved
border controls and patrolling of
the waters around Libya -- com-
plicated by the countrys com-
peting governments and state
of lawlessness -- as well as de-
velopment aid to create jobs in
Africa.
The ght against illegal
migration is being led on two
fronts: development and secu-
rity, said a source in the French
presidency, asking not to be
named.
In July, Macron also pro-
posedwithout consulting his
alliesthe creation of so-called
hot spots in Africa where asy-
lum seekers eeing persecution
or war could lodge a request to
travel to the EU. AFP
J
MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS. Katy Perry performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The
Forum on August 27, 2017, in Inglewood, California. AFP
Chinese jailed for shing in Galapagos
QUITOA court in Ecuador sen-
tenced the crew of a Chinese ship
caught shing endangered sharks in
the Galapagos marine reserve to pris-
on terms on Sunday.
The Chinese-agged Fu Yuan Yu
Leng 999 was caught within the pro-
tected zone on August 13 with 300
tons of shincluding some 6,000
sharks, mostly protected species such
as the hammerhead and the bigeye
thresher.
The court announced on the third
day of the trial against the crew that
it was sentencing the ship captain to
four years prison for committing an
environmental crime with aggravat-
ing circumstances.
The ships three top ofcers got
three years prison, while the 16 other
crew members were jailed for one
year.
The court also ordered the crew
to pay $5.9 million to the Galapagos
National Park.
Its unclear if the Chinese crew will
appeal the sentence.
After the enormous indignation
we felt, this will denitely compen-
sate for the damage caused because a
historic precedent has been set, park
director Walter Bustos told AFP upon
hearing the sentence.
The 138,000 square-kilometer
reserve, a sanctuary for sharks, has
been designated by UNESCO as a
World Heritage site.
Some 27,000 people live on the 19
Galapagos islands, located in the Pa-
cic some 1,000 kilometers off Ecua-
dors coastline.
The Galapagos is famous for its
unique ora and fauna studied by
Charles Darwin as he developed his
theory of evolution.
Zero tolerance for environmental
crimes! tweeted Ecuadors Environ-
ment Minister Tarcisio Granizo.
The Chinese ship has been con-
scated and will be held in service
to the Galapagos park, Granizo
said.
Galapagos residents have been pro-
testing what they say is a eet of 300
Chinese shing vessels located in in-
ternational waters just outside the ma-
rine reserve. AFP
EDDAHTwo million Muslims
from across the globe are
converging on Mecca in Saudi
Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage, a
religious duty and for some pilgrims
the journey of a lifetime.
This year sees the return of pilgrims from Shiite Iran, re-
gional rival to Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and comes
with the Gulf mired in political crisis and Islamic State
group jihadists squeezed in Iraq and Syria.
Im so excited because many people dream of coming
to this place, said 47-year-old Eni from Indonesia, her
face framed in a sand-colored veil trimmed with lace.
We feel more religious when we leave this place, she
said.
Indonesia is the worlds most populous Muslim nation, and
it also provides the largest number of pilgrims for the hajj.
Enis compatriots throng Jeddah airport 80 kilome-
ters west of Mecca, as tens of thousands of pilgrims pass
through the gateway to the hajj every day.
But Eni is almost oblivious to the hubbub that surrounds
her as she studies her Koran in the oppressive heat, pearls
of sweat beading her face.
After my rst pilgrimage I felt I wanted to come back to
feel myself close to him, she said of the Prophet Moham-
med before returning her attention to Islams holy book.
The hajj is one of the ve pillars of the Islamic faith,
which every Muslim is required to complete at least once
in a lifetime if he or she has the means to do so.
This year we expect around two million pilgrims, Ab-
delmajeed Mohammad Al-Afghani, director of hajj and
umra (lesser pilgrimage) affairs, told AFP.
Iranians are back after not attending in 2016 following a
deadly Mecca stampede the previous year that killed near-
ly 2,300 pilgrims.
It was the worst catastrophe in the history of the hajj,
with 464 people from the Islamic republic among the dead.
Following the disaster, Tehran railed against Saudi Ara-
bias organisation of the pilgrimage.
The two countries then severed diplomatic relations in
January 2016 after the Saudi embassy in Tehran was ran-
sacked by a crowd protesting against the execution in the
kingdom of a Shiite religious dignitary.
Analysts say that neither Riyadh nor Tehran has any
wish to prolong the dispute.
To politicize an event like this does no good, said
Slimane Zeghidour, author of La vie quotidienne La
Mecque: De Mahomet nos jours [Daily Life in Mecca
from Mohammed to Today].
Accusations of the hajj being politicized have marred the
region for some time.
For nearly three months, the Gulf has been embroiled
in its worst ever political crisis, with Saudi Arabia and its
allies facing off against Qatar, which they accuse of being
too close to Iran and backing extremism.
A boycott imposed on the small but gas-rich emirate
since June 5 has resulted in Qatars land, sea and air links
being badly affected.
This has also had a knock-on effect on hajj-related trav-
el, although Riyadh announced it was relaxing certain re-
strictions for pilgrims.
In the arrivals hall at Jeddah airport, determined pilgrims
walk hastily to avoid losing contact with other members of
their group. AFP
 Texans
Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29 2017

World come
to the
rescue
HOUSTONBryan Curtis nor-
mally rides his jet ski for fun.
On Sunday, he turned it into an

Houston oods spark chaos

emergency rescue vehicle.
Curtiswho lives in Conroe,
a little to the north of Houston
was one of the many civilians
who pitched in to help evacuate
those stranded in rapidly rising
oodwaters in Texass biggest

H
OUSTONMassive
flooding unleashed by
deadly monster storm
Harvey left Houstonthe fourth-
largest city in the United States
increasingly isolated Sunday as its
airports and highways shut down
and residents were rescued from
their inundated homes by boat.
The citys two main airports suspended all com-
mercial ights and two hospitals were forced to
evacuate patients. A local television station also was
knocked off the air.
At least three people have been killed so far, with
reports of other fatalities still unconrmed. As night
fell, dramatic rescuessometimes by volunteers
with their own boatswere still taking place.
The National Hurricane Center called the ood-
ing unprecedented and said the storm, which
crashed ashore late Friday as a huge Category 4 hur-
ricane, would move into the Gulf before doubling
back midweek, bringing even more rain.
President Donald Trump, who had said he did
not want to disrupt emergency efforts with a visit, is
planning to head to the disaster zone on Tuesday, the
White House announced.
Rising waters from Harvey inundated roads
throughout the Houston area, affecting every major
freeway and hamstringing efforts to move people to
safety.
Its crazy to see the roads youre driving on ev-
ery day just completely under water, Houston resi-
dent John Travis told AFP.
Overwhelmed emergency services warned resi-
dents to head for high ground or climb onto rooftops
-- not into attics -- so they could be seen by rescue
helicopters. More than 2,000 rescues had been made
so far.
The local ABC afliate showed the helicopter res-
cue of a man and his six-year-son -- both named Jer-
emiah -- from the second oor of their home. Each
only had the clothes on their back and a backpack.
This is all we got, the father said. We thank
God. We thank God.
Emergency 911 operators in Houston received
56,000 calls in a 15-hour span-seven times more
than in a usual full day.
We are going on fumes & our hearts ache for
community we serve, but we will not stop! said
Houston police chief Art Acevedo.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned the operation
was far from over, given the foreboding forecasts.
The number of evacuees is increasing. The num-
ber in harms way will increase also with the rain
city unleashed by monster storm
Harvey.
Im not even thinking about
myself right now to tell you the
truth. Its just people need help,
Im here to help, I want to do my
part, he told AFP.
With the ofcial emergency
services overwhelmed by the
scale of the disaster in Houston,
the fourth biggest city in the
United States, it was sometimes
left to an army of volunteers to
save the day.
Some formed human chains
while others red up their mo-
torboats to pluck their fellow
Texans to safety from the ood-
waters swamping the Lone Star
state.
After more than two feet of
rain fell in Houston in a 24-hour
period, some streets resembled
canals, making it impossible for
cars to navigate the city.
Some of the few vehicles that
could be seen on the streets were
giant trucks, loaded with evacu-
ees who had gratefully clam-
bered on board after hearing of-
fers of help.
We continually go through
these neighborhoods and are
actually calling out on our loud-
speakers trying to get peoples
attention and saying: Hey, are
you ready to evacuate? said lo-
cal law enforcement ofcer Alan
Rosen.
Were just inundated. Theres
not enough resourcesthere
never is enough resourcesto
actually go around and save
everybody, he told the local
KTRK TV channel after load-
ing up one of the rescue vehicles
with dozens of evacuees.
Were doing absolutely the
best we can.
One man was spotted cling-
ing to a tree on Saturday night
by police patrol ofcers who
then formed a human chain
across a a bayou to save him.
He later posed grinning broadly
HELLO, HAILEE. Hailee Steinfeld attends n:PHILANTHROPY Sponsors Republic Records VMA After Party 2017 at TAO at the
Dream Hotel on August 27, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. AFP without his rescuers on the lo-
cal police departments Twitter
feed.

Jailed Samsung heir appeals conviction

that is forecast to come, Abbott said, adding that
the storm had already inicted billions of dollars in
damage.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner dismissed the
idea that evacuations should have been ordered
sooner.
You issue an evacuation order and put every-
body on the highwayyou really are asking for a
major calamity, Turner told reporters.
Houston proper has a population of 2.3 million
people, but the greater metropolitan area has more
than six million.
Trump, who spent the weekend at Camp David,
the presidential retreat in Maryland, was preparing
for his trip to the ood zone on Tuesday.
The focus must be on life and safety, he said in
a series of tweets about the disaster, his rst major
domestic challenge since taking ofce in January.
At least three deaths have been blamed on Har-
vey, which has spawned tornadoes and lashed east
and central Texas with torrential rains. AFP
SEOULThe lawyers for the jailed
heir to the Samsung empire led an ap-
peal against his conviction on Monday
as South Korean media divided on the
ruling that put the countrys top business
leader behind bars.
Lee Jae-Yong, the de-facto head of
Samsung Electronics, was found guilty
last week of bribing South Koreas oust-
ed president Park Geun-Hye and sen-
tenced to ve years in prison.
The ofcial website of the Seoul Cen-
tral District Court showed that Lees
lawyer Kim Jong-Hoon led an appeal
on Monday but gave no further details.
Prosecutors have also said they will
appeal the court rulingandto seek a
harsher punishment for Lee.
A Samsung Group spokeswoman de-
clined to comment.
But another Samsung Electronics
vice chairman, Kwon Oh-Hyun, called
the situation regrettable in a statement
to employees of the worlds biggest
smartphone maker, the Yonhap news
agency reported.
We should all steadily wait until the
truth is revealed, it cited him as say-
ing, urging them to gather power and
wisdom to overcome the unprecedented
challenge.
South Koreas media have divided
over the unprecedented imprisonment
of the countrys most powerful tycoon,
with some newspapers condemning the
ruling and others accusing their rivals of
kneeling before the rich.
Samsung is by far the biggest of the
chaebols, as the family-controlled con-
glomerates that dominate Asias fourth-
largest economy are known, with its
revenues equivalent to around a fth of
the countrys GDP.
Chaebols were instrumental in South
Koreas economic rise but have long
had murky connections with political
authorities and are also known to wield
considerable inuence on the media,
potentially courtesy of their giant adver-
tising budgets.
The JoongAng Daily, a company with
close family ties to the Samsung Group,
said in an editorial that an appeal by Lee
would have a good case. AFP
With so many roads under wa-
ter, a boat ride was the only op-
tion for some of those stranded
in outlying areas.
James Lofton, a resident of the
suburb of Spring Valley, made
multiple journeys on his boat to
ferry residents to safety from a
nearby hotel to safety.
Weve just been carrying
people back and forth from the
Omni most of the afternoon,
Lofton told AFP.
One of the last to leave the
hotel was a woman who recently
had back surgery who was deli-
cately brought on board.
Obviously shes had surgery
and is in a lot of pain. This was
a very painful ride for her, said
Lofton. AFP

Rohingya deny state accusations

YANGONMyanmars Aung
San Suu Kyi on Monday accused
Rohingya ghters of burning
down homes and using child sol-
diers during a recent surge in vio-
lence in troubled Rakhine state,
allegations denied by the militants
themselves.
The impoverished western state
neighboring Bangladesh has be-
come a crucible of religious ha-
tred focused on the stateless Ro-
hingya Muslim minority, who are
reviled and perceived as illegal
immigrants in Buddhist-majority
Myanmar.
Despite years of persecution
and government restrictions, the
Rohingya largely eschewed vio-
lence.
But sporadic armed clashes
have erupted since October when
a previously unknown Rohingya
militant group staged a series of
attacks on security forces, spark-
ing a massive crackdown by
Myanmars military which the
UN believes may have amounted
to ethnic cleansing.
A brutal round of fresh ght-
GOODBYE, MIREILLE. This undated le picture shows French actress Mireille Darc posing during a photo ing has been raging since Friday
session. Mireille Darc died at age 79 on August 28, 2017, according to her family. AFP when militants staged new coor-
dinated ambushes.
More than 100 people, includ-
ing some 80 militants, have been
conrmed killed. Thousands of
Rohingya civilians have ed
towards Bangladesh while lo-
cal Buddhists and Hindus have
sought sanctuary in towns and
monasteries away from the clash-
es.
Both sides have accused each
other of committing fresh atroci-
ties in recent days, accusations
that are difcult to verify because
the ghting is taking place in inac-
cessible villages.
The government department di-
rectly run by Suu Kyithe State
Counselors Ofcehas released
a urry of statements via Face-
book, including grim pictures of
civilians allegedly shot dead by
militants.
Terrorists have been ghting
security forces by using children
at the frontline (and) setting re
(to) minority-ethnic villages, the
ofce said in its latest statement
on Monday.
It added that there should be
no concerns for civilians who
are not linked with extremist ter-
rorists and called on Rohingya to
not brandish sticks, swords and
weapons when security forces
approached.
The militant group behind the
ghtingthe Arakan Rohingya
Salvation Army (ARSA)hit
back with its own allegations on
Monday.
While raiding Rohingya vil-
lages, the Burmese brutal military
soldiers bring along with them
groups of Rakhine [Buddhist]
extremists to attack Rohingya vil-
lagers, loot Rohingyas properties
and later burn down Rohingya
houses, the group said via its
Twitter account @ARSA_Of-
cial.
Myanmars assurances for Ro-
hingya civilians appear to have
had little effect, with a fresh in-
ux of refugees heading to Ban-
gladesh. Some have been turned
back by Bangladeshi authorities.
Rohingya who made it through
on Sunday described Buddhist
mobs and security forces shooting
people dead and burning down
homes. They said many Rohingya
men and youths stayed behind to
ght. AFP
The skyscraper mega buildings amid a dreamlike horizon suggest what
the future looks for Dizon.
Life CULTURE & MEDIA
Isah V. Red, Editor
Bernadette Lunas, Writer
isahred@gmail.com
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 D1

Digital Dreamscapes
By Neil Doloricon

T
HE advent of digital
technology brought
us to another level of
human emancipation from Marco Dizon is a
the mechanical mode of classical pianist,
a lead keyboard
producing things. It also player of a jazz
made our work in handling band in DC, and an
IT graduate who
or manipulating various dabbles in digital
materials easier than before. painting.

But the new technology will not think

for us. Creativity will still reside in our
ability to imagine things. Digital technol-
ogy is just a tool, like a pencil or a paint-
brush, for doing painting on canvas and
other surfaces for ones creative under-
takings. Digital software will give us an
interface with various tools to enhance
our creative imagination and help turn its
products into reality, both on 2D and 3D.
This is how Marco Dizon, a scholar
and an IT enthusiast, explores the world
of digital imaging. His creative prowess
can be seen in the way he achieves the il-
lusion of depth in a surreal landscape by
sheer manipulations of digital tools, which
if combined would metamorphose into un-
predictable visual delights.
The dreamlike horizon in one of his
works, with its transparencies of mystical
images appearing in the sky, suggests a dif-
ferent wonderland for Dizon. It may even
suggest how the future looks for him. The
skyscraper mega buildings are part of the
endless human effort to reach limitless skies.
In The Tree of Life rendering of Di-
zon, he makes use of the eye of providence
as the focal point with Star of David-like
rays of the sun over it and the overlaying
transparencies that signify a butterfly
wings that would convey hope and change.
A digital imaging rendition of transpar-
ent image of trees amid the modulating
colors in the horizon reminds us of saving
them for our survival on this planet.
(Neil Doloricon is a visual art professor
at the UP College of Fine Arts, where he DIGITAL ART. The Tree of Life rendering makes use of the eyes of providence as the focal point with Star of
served as dean from 1998-2001.) Dizon explores the world of digital imaging in his works. David-like rays of sun over it.

Amorsolo: Love & Passion now available

AS A staunch supporter of the arts,
Philippine heritage and Filipino tal-
ent, Rustans makes sure that the
work and legend of one of Philip-
pines most celebrated artists is nev-
er forgotten with the re-launching
of Amorsolo: Love & Passion. This
two-volume is available at Rustans.
Published by Fernando C. Amor-
solo Art Foundation Inc., the new
volumes delve deeper into the sto-
ries of the subjects behind the fa-
mous portraits, with Amorsolos
daughter herself, Sylvia Amorsolo
Lazo, recounting the memories be-
hind each piece. A true genius of
his time, Fernando Amorsolo was
best known for his masterful illu-
minated (chiaroscuro) landscapes
and portraits. Through his exten-
sive work, Amorsolo helped form
the Filipino national identity and
nurture a sense of nationhood by
celebrating our culture, traditions
and Filipino ideals. He was and
will remain to be an important fig-
ure in Philippine Art.
The new mini-coffee table books
(sized at 9.5 x 12.75 inches) in-
cludes two volumes: the first of
which is Portraits, which features
309 Amorsolo paintings and pho-
tos in the compact 188 pages, and
Landscapes & Other Works, which
includes 193 images by the re-
nowned maestro.
Volume 1: Portraits, which fea-
tures his works on prominent por-
trait subjects like Senate President
Manuel L. Quezon, Enrique Zo-
bel Ayala and General Douglas
MacArthur, among others, is an
especially important piece of work
as Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo narrates
the incredible stories behind each
art work.
Volume II: Landscapes & Other
Works, on the other hand, becomes
a great kick off point for modern
art discussion, as young writers
Carlomar Daoana and art critic
Cid Reyes tackle the genius of the
artist through the point of view of
a millennial.
Sylvia Amorsolo Lazo shares, My
father had a view of the world that
was remarkably youthful - the world
is always fresh and bright, as depict-
ed by his artworks contained in these
coffee-table books.
Through the help of editor Krip
Yuson, the mind, passion and heart
of the creative master is revealed.
Yuson shares As writer Jane Al-
linson shares in her commentary
Infinite Variety: Themes and Varia-
tions: Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto
put his soul on canvas. Each com-
position was a creative celebration
not a repetition of the way he
saw the world. An accurate assess-
ment of the artists oeuvre confirms
his statement: My paintings are all
original.
Amorsolo: Love & Passion is
now available at Rustans Makati,
Rustans Shangri-La, Rustans Gate-
way, and Rustans Alabang.
For every purchase, portion of the
proceeds will go to EPCALM (Er-
win Piedad Cabanag Adult Leukemia
Ministries), a non-profit organization,
Amorsolo: Love & Passion, a two-volume mini coffee table book, delves deeper into the stories of the subjects behind each famous which reaches out to leukemia patients,
portrait by Fernando Amorsolo. as well as their families.
From left:
EPCALMs
Justice Demerre,
Fernando C.
Amorsolo Art
Foundations
Herman Lazo,
EPCALMs Dra.
Erlyn Demerre,
Fernando C.
Amorsolo Art
Foundations
Fernando
Lazo, Rustan
Commercial
Corporation
Chairman and
CEO Zenaida
Tantoco, Sylvia
Amorsolo
Lazo, Rustans
Marketing Head
Dina Tantoco, and
Contributor and
Writer Cid Reyes
D2 TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
isahred@gmail.com Life
B
ALLET MANILA
is entering a new
age.

These were the words that Lisa

Macuja-Elizalde, CEO and artistic di-
rector of Ballet Manila, uttered to her
ballerinas and danseurs when plans for
the 22nd performance season of the
countrys leading classical dance com-
pany were made earlier last year.
Named Flights of Fantasy, the new
season debuts two all-original produc-
tions, which Macuja-Elizalde has been
working on with a team of internation-
ally-award winning dancers, musi-
cians, costume, and set designers.
Ballet Manila has always been
known as a company that strictly ad-
heres to the Vaganova technique and
Russian style of dancing. Thats some-
thing that weve always stressed out by
staging classical ballets that highlight
our techniques strength. However, we
understand that times are changing.
And while we shall continue to stick
to our techniquewhich is widely-
accepted as the best in the worldwe
understand that we need to up our game

Ballet Manila
if we want to appeal to more people,
she explains.
This season, she works with two
classic talesone Filipino and one
foreignto create world-class produc-
tions that will further solidify Ballet
Manilas position as the premiere clas-
sical dance company in the country.
Ibong Adarna, one of the two origi-
nal productions mentioned by Lisa,
debuts 2 original ballets
will open the 22nd performance season Ballet Manilas staging of classic Filipino tale Ibong Adarna features principal dancer Rudy de Dios together with Abi Oliveiro, Romeo Peralta, and Mark Sumaylo
this August. Choreographed by one of
the companys principal dancers and
The legendary bird
multi-awarded choreographer, Gerar- Ibong Adarna
do Francisco, the show will bring to
life the magical kingdom of Berban-
ya with modern production techniques,
flying sequences, and impressive rou-
tines that can rival even those of the
most well-known classical pieces. It
will feature Gia Macuja Atchison, a
West End star, as the voice of Ibong
Adarna, and will also showcase music
by Diwa de Leon, set and costume de-
sign by Make It Happen Workshop, and
script by Angela Blardony Ureta.
Following Ibong Adarna in October
is one of the worlds most enduring
classical romantic balletsSwan Lake.
Featuring music from master compos-
er Peter Tchaikovsky, the production is
Katherine Barkman as
a showcase of the companys commit- Principal dancer Katherine Barkman plays Snow White and Godwin Moreno as the Evil Odette in Ballet Manilas
ment to have at least one classical ballet Queen/Witch Swan Lake
in its repertoire every seasonso as to
uphold its Vaganova Academy roots. Come November, the company will its widely-popular Ballets & Ballads. Manila many times in the recent past,
For its version of Swan Lake, Ballet stage its second original production this Happening in February 2018, this edi- most notably in the highly acclaimed
Manilas production features the origi- season, and Lisa Macuja-Elizaldes sec- tion will feature live music by the ABS- original, Rebel.
nal Lev Ivanov choreography for the ond full-length choreography work CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. Ibong Adarna premiered on Aug.
white acts and a brand new set design by Snow White. Aimed at making the Ballet is a form of dance that is 26 at Aliw Theater. And it will be on
Miguel Faustmann. It will also make holiday season more magical for eve- usually accompanied by music with- stage again on Sept. 2, 6 p.m. and 3 ph or follow Ballet Manila on Facebook,
use of new costumes created by fash- ryone, Ballet Manila promises to bring out words. By dancing to popular bal- p.m. on Sept.3. Twitter, and Instagram. Tickets are also
ion designer Michael Miguel and live everyone a heartwarming take to the lads performed live, we are showing Swan Lake goes on stage on Oct.7 and available through all TicketWorld out-
accompaniment from the ABS-CBN classic tale. another side to our storytellingone 14 at 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Oct. 8 and 15. lets. Please call 891-9999 or visit www.
Philharmonic Orchestra under the ba- We are making Snow White a more that is more appealing and relatable to The Snow White world premiere is ticketworld.com.ph for more informa-
ton of Maestro Alexander Vikulov of magical and musical experience for eve- the modern audience. And again, this set for Nov. 25 at 6:00 p.m. with other tion. In addition, those who are planning
Russias Marinsky Theater. rybodyfrom toddlers to the lolos and is in line with Ballet Manilas vision of shows on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m., and 3 p.m. on to watch all the shows may take advan-
Swan Lake is, for me, the ultimate lolas, says Macuja-Elizalde. I wont bringing ballet closer to the people, and Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. tage of the companys Season Subscrip-
test for a classical ballerina. To dance reveal much, but we are working so hard the people closer to ballet. You can catch Ballet & Ballads on tion Programs, which offer up to 50
the dual roles of Odette and Odile is one to make sure that our version leaves a In addition to the ABS-CBN Phil- Feb. 10 and 17, 2018 at 6 p.m., and 3 p.m percent discount on ticket prices. For
of the most difficult roles to do because mark that will make the holidays more harmonic Orchestra, Ballet & Ballads on Feb. 11 and 18, 2018. more information, you may visit www.
you need to be vulnerable and lyrical as memorable and spectacular. will also premiere British choreogra- For more information about the ticketworld.com.ph/balletmanila/On-
the white swan and sharp and steely as And to close Flights of Fantasy, Ballet pher Martin Lawrances Aria. Law- shows, including ticket prices and line/ and click on View Details under
the black swan. Manila will stage another installment of rance has collaborated with Ballet schedules, visit www.balletmanila.com. Season Subscription Program.

PAGES
Basag shares tips
on nursing a broken heart
and moving on
BEHIND the sad love songs and the hu-
The _revision Creative Group Art Exhibit features artworks made by employees of advertising agencies
got lines, what really goes on in a bro-

Sustaining an artists soul

COULD you do these revisions for me?
After sacrificing many sleepless
nights in order to meet a deadline, ad-
vertising creative staff are often then
told to build up on their output hence
the word build becoming common
term for revisions and feedback in the
industry. But, why is the word re-
vision steeped in so much negativ-
ity, when it is simply another word for
change, something inherent to the hu-
man condition? Why is the act of revis-
ing needlessly is antagonistic to those in
the industry?
These questions are exactly what as-
sociate creative director Paulo Correa
and senior art director Angelo Estrella,
both of Campaigns & Grey, are taking a
stand on by founding the Revision Col-
lective, a group of advertising creative
individuals whose aim is to reclaim the
word that was once theirs. And as part
of the collectives opening act, Cor-
rea and Estrella recently spearheaded
an exhibit entitled _revision Creative
Group Art Exhibit, which ran for two
weeks at the Nova Gallery in Makatis
La Fuerza art hub. Some of the other
Paulo Correa and Angelo Estrella of
Revision Collective
agencies that were represented in the
exhibit were TBWA, Saatchi, Leo Bur-
nett and Publicis JimenezBasic, just to
name a few.
For Correa and Estrella, the exhibit
is the perfect opportunity to showcase
that drive inherent in every creative
when it comes to creating something
We have that drive to create some-
thing. I believe that none of us is an art-
ist, but we are all creators. If you have
the drive to create something, no matter
what industry you are from, an outlet is
needed, Estrella explained.
Their goal is to provide an outlet
where creatives of all stripes are able
to produce pure art they can rightfully
claim as their own, unfettered from the
input of others. The main objective
for Revision Collective is for people in
the advertising industry to never forget
their roots of creating their artworks
purely for themselves; for people not to
forget that creativity sustains the artists
soul, Correa said.
Incessant revising is a fact of life in
any ad agency. At the collective, revi-
sion takes on a new meaning. Correa
and Estrella are hopeful that their bur-
geoning movement will inspire other
advertising creatives to look beyond the
revisions, look beyond the builds, and
see that art for arts sake is still possible
even in a world where change is con-
stant and inevitable.
To know more about _revision Crea-
tive Group Art Exhibit and revision col-
lective, follow them on Instagram @
revisioncollective, or on their Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/Revision-
Collective/
kenhearted persons life?
In this brutally honest book, Basag:
Bachelor in Nursing a Broken Heart,
Major in Moving On, new author Prexy
Calvario relates the disappointments
and depression she experienced with
several heartbreaks.
For years, she labored to move on,
until one day, she was finally released
from the regrets and sad memories.
Published by OMF Literature, Basag
aims to help brokenhearted women (and
men) take the first steps towards mov-
ing on.
Reading Basag is like listening to
a friend who is walking alongside
you as you come to grips with your
pain. More than giving pat answers,
the author candidly tells her story in
a way that is gritty, funny, and very
relatable; sharing her lessons that can
only come from having been there,
done that.
Prexy Calvarios Basag aims to help
Basag: Bachelor in Nursing a Broken brokenhearted people take the first steps
Heart, Major in Moving On is available towards moving on
for only P75. Look for the book at OMF
Lit Bookshops, Passages Bookshops, also be available soon in e-book for-
Philippine Christian Book Stores, Na- mat. For more information, please call
tional Book Stores, and other leading 63(2)531 43 03 local 304, or the OMF
bookstores nationwide. Lit Bookshop at 63(2)531 43 03 local
You can also order online at www. 201 or 203. You can also send an email
passagesbooks.com.ph. The book will to inquire@omflit.com.

Music Matters
Live 2017s
rst wave of its
artist lineup
THE award winning Music Matters Live
returns this year for its 12th year (seven
in Singapore). Running alongside the
All That Matters industry conference,
Music Matters Live kicks off the ve-
day event on Sept. 9, and promises to
showcase some of the brightest and
most promising bands and artists from
the Asia Pacic region and beyond.
This year, organizers, Branded, are
extremely excited to be able to work
with Apple Music to show support for
local Asian and international music and
the industry. From Sept. 1, music fans
will be able to access exclusive playlists
curated by Music Matters Live on Apple
Music. In addition to the exclusive
content, Music Matters has made Apple
Music the festivals ofcial music Out of the improvisations grew melodic
service of this years festival.
For the rst time, Music Matters Live
will be adding a new award entitled
Artist that Matters 2017 in association
with Apple Music. The winning band
will be selected in collaboration with
Apple Musics expert Editors and given
the coveted featuring of New Artist
Spotlight on Apple Music across
Southeast Asia and beyond.
Over two days and ve nights, more
than 40 acts from 12 countries will
take stage in front of All That Matters
delegates as well as the general public.
This year, for the rst time, Chijmes has
partnered with Music Matters Live as
main showcase venue partner. The main
showcases will be held at the Chijmes
outdoor lawn and entry to the event is
free for everyone.
Following the tradition of Music
Matters Live, the festival will once again
include country-specic showcases
from the Asia Pacic Region. These
showcases include Aussie BBQ
(supported by Sounds Australia),
Taiwan Beats (supported by Ministry WHAT can you do in ve minutes?
Of Culture R.O.C (Taiwan), Sound
of India (supported by Artist Aloud),
and more country showcases to be
announced.
Timbre Music also returns as ofcial
venue partner to the festival, providing
their venues Barber Shop by Timbre,
Timbre Music Academy Hall, Switch by
Timbre and Timbre @ The Substation,
for performances by Music Matters Live
artists during the festival.
The Music Matters Live festival
provides a unique win, win, win for
musicians. Music Matters has provided
a global platform for thousands of
bands since 2006 including conference
attendance, business academies, song
writing workshops, and of course, The
Music Matters Live festival. So we
are thrilled, proud and humbled to be
working with Apple Music that will
see them actively participate in local
artist curating plus also provide support
for the performing artists. We look
forward to welcoming everyone to our
new home at Chijmes and to creating
even more opportunities and long term
relationships with the artists, says
Jasper Donat, CEO of All That Matters
organizers Branded Ltd.
Among the 40+ acts that make up this
years exciting international line up are
Philippines R&B Kiana Valenciano,
Canadian Hip Hop hitmaker Dizzy,
electro-pop from New Zealands Theia,
Sony Malaysias soulful heartthrob
SonaOne, the heavenly grooves of
Indonesias Soundwave, and Australian
indie darlings, Fairchild.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
ACROSS 57 Told secretly
1 Fleece 60 Scarcely
5 Whitish gems 61 Relating to the
10 Multitude mouth
14 Dry watercourse 62 Bicker
15 K, to a jeweler 64 The Phantom of
16 Constructed the Opera
17 Gridder 65 Land parcel
Alonzo Stagg 66 Ninotchka
18 Zoo name
heavyweight 67 Antler prong
19 Straw in the 68 Diplomats need
wind 69 Moderated
20 Xerxes ruled 70 Arms the alarm
here
22 Loch Ness site DOWN
24 Part of SST 1 Trades
25 Did garden work 2 Antique brooch
26 Toledo locale 3 Dress up
28 Kin of argon 4 NASAs
32 Municipality Control
35 Divers milieu 5 Slimy vegetable
37 City on the Rio 6 Hogwash!
Grande 7 Get up
38 Pub pint 8 Spear
39 Woodwind 9 Tolerated
41 Eighteen- 10 Fume
wheeler 11 Sand mandala
42 Show again builder
44 Sci-fi computer 12 Churchill
45 Celts, to successor
Romans 13 Proceed
46 Alaskan pole 21 Freud, to
47 Writer himself
Kellerman 23 Waco resident
49 Slackens off 25 Troubles
53 On both feet 27 , old chap
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017
S
INGER-
SONGWRITER
Matisyahu has been on
a journey inward for more
than a decade. The journey
has been private and public.
The journey has, at times,
been explicitly external, even
while being driven by internal
change.
Now, nearly 13 years after the release of
his rst studio record, Matisyahu and his
band have done something unmatched in
his past repertoire; they have crafted that
journey into a musically thematic eight-
song-movement.
The band features longtime guitarist
Aaron Dugan, Dub Trios bassist and
drummers Stu Brooks and Joe Tomino,
and keyboard virtuoso BigYuki -- and the
journey starts with them.
The band improvised for hours in the
studio with Matisyahu watching on as
an admirer without singing a single lyric. Jewish American reggae star and alternative rock musician Matisyahu (center) with his band
Matisyahu in Manila
themes, rhythmic peaks and valleys,
blissful and proto-song guitar passages,
deep dub meditations and ultimately an
inspired instrumental record unto itself.
Only once the band had crafted this
musical narrative, did Matisyahu begin
to work on a lyrical narrative of his own Matisyahu collaborated with Shyne on album Cabin by the Sea on the single In 2015, Matisyahu collaborated
-- a lyrical narrative that is simultaneously the song Buffalo Soldier from his 2012 Dance All Night, and with Boston- with Avicii in his album Stories, where
informed and integrated with the music release, Spark Seeker. based rapper Nosson Zand on his 2013 he sang alongside Wyclef Jean in Cant
yet driven by Matisyahus own personal Matisyahu collaborated with J. release, Believers. Catch Me, and in 2016 he was featured
journey. Ralph on the song Crossroads feat. Matisyahu is featured on the 19-track on Dodging Bullets, a single by Jewish
The result is Undercurrent, Matisyahus J. Ralph from his 2012 release, Spark compilation album, Songs for a Healthier rapper Kosha Dillz on his record What I
sixth studio album. Seeker, also with Infected Mushroom on America, a collaborative project by the Do All Day And Pickle.
Matisyahu has performed with Kenny the song One Day, as well as during Partnership for a Healthier America, Matisyahu is coming to Manila for the
Muhammad, a Muslim beatboxer. He various live sets. whose honorary chair First Lady Michelle rst time ever for a one-night show at SM
also recorded the song One Day along Matisyahu various collaborations Obama, and Hip Hop Public Health. His North Edsa SKydome on Sept. 23.
with Akon, who is also Muslim. includes those with Moon Taxi on the song U R What You Eat also features This event is brought by DMC
Matisyahu is featured on Trevor song Square Circles off the bands Travis Barker, Ariana Grande, and Entertainment Production Management
Halls single Unity from his self-titled 2012 release Cabaret, with The Crystal Salad Bar. Philippines, Novotel Manila Araneta
album, also on Roots in Stereo and Method on their single Drown in the In 2014, Matisyahu was featured Center, Thrifty Car rentals in cooperation
Strength of My Life from P.O.D.s Now. on Cisco Adlers song Hypnotize, with ABS-CBN, MYX Music Channel
album Testify. He is featured on The Dirty Heads which was included on his Coastin album. & Cinema One.
Tell your story and join Singtels The 5-Min Video Challenge
Not many would claim to watch a lm,
but its a challenge that Singtel would
like to make to seasoned and budding
content creators with The 5-Min Video
Challenge, a regional lm competition
where participants must create compelling
content in a limited time frame.
The challenges theme is Connecting
Lives, which aims to explore how the
connections in life can bring the world
together. The competition is open to
creators from Singtel Groups markets
across Asia, Africa, and Australia.
In the Philippines, Singtel has partnered Singapore, and Thailand. The winners will be
with Globe to search for the countrys top announced in a gala celebration on November
content creators. Those interested in joining 22 and the grand-prize winner will be awarded
must ll out the application form available on $30,000, while the runner-up will take home
the Globe website and submit their ve minute $15,000.
video, along with the video poster, subtitles (if Singtel will also be giving away special
applicable), and members photos. Entries will awards such as the Social Media Star award with
be accepted until Oct. 22. the prize of $3,000. It is for the entry with the
Our partnership with Singtels The 5-Min most number of likes on its trailer until Oct. 22.
Video Challenge is part of our vision to give There will also be two Peoples Choice winners
more opportunities to talented Filipinos to based on the top two entries with the highest
produce original content. At the same time, votes during the regional voting in November.
we are giving local audiences the chance to Winners will take home $3,000 and $2,000
have access to quality content, which they respectively.
The 5-Min Video Challenge was established
can watch whenever. Sometimes, all you
in 2016 by Singtel to test the creativity of the
need is ve minutes to get a point across,
shares Chief Commercial Ofcer, Albert De most talented minds in the region, and create a
Larrazabal. collection of entertaining and thought-provoking
Three local winners will be announced on the content in bite-sized pieces perfect for the
ofcial Facebook and Twitter pages of Globe mobile phone, one of the strongest drivers of
Telecom on Oct. 30. The grand prize winner entertainment consumption.
will get P150,000, while the rst runner-up will Last year, Filipinos Miguel Lorenzo Sotto
win P50,000 and the second runner-up will win and Jazmine Yvette Reyes won rst runner-up
P25,000. for their short lm entitled Pagnanakaw.
The grand prize winner and the rst runner-up For more information on the challenge and
will y to Singapore to represent the country in how to submit your video, visit the website
the regional round, where they will compete with at http://www.globe.com.ph/the-5min-vid-
entries from Africa, Australia, India, Indonesia, challenge.
29 Caligulas 48 Senate vote
nephew 50 Saying
30 Garfields 51 incognita
housemate 52 Goes very
31 Holiday quaffs slowly
32 Lemony-tasting 54 Chilling
33 Dairy-case item 55 Dirty Harry
34 Shed tears portrayer
36 Pale gray 56 Tots
37 Damn 57 Layer
Yankees vamp 58 Willy or Shamu
39 Familiar deer 59 DEA operative
40 Lummoxes 60 Necklace part
43 Spring growth 63 Ourays tribe
45 Black-footed
critters
 BIDDING ADIEU. "The
Better Half" lead stars
JC de Vera and Shaina
Magdayao (rst and
second from left), and
Denise Laurel and Carlo
Isah V. Red, Editor Aquino (rst and second
Nickie Wang, Writer from right) with the rest of
the cast during the series'
isahred@gmail.com thanksgiving event.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017

THE BETTER HALF NEARS FINALE

Cast sad show ending
after half a year on the air
A
T THE presscon for the last
two weeks of The Better
Half, members of the cast
Shaina Magdayao, Carlo Aquino,
Denise Laurel, and JC de Vera
chimed a common feeling of
melancholy for the shows soon-to-
come nale.
All of them had something common to say
that they enjoyed each others company, in fact,
underscoring that they seem to have become a
family.
Laurel said that shes prepping herself up for the
days that she wont see her co-stars and that she
may not work with them for quite a time.
All of them said they will miss each other,
but that didnt stop them from saying what the
followers of the show should anticipate for the two
weeks before the nale.
In the show, the lives of Camille (Magdayao),
Marco (Aquino), Rafael (De Vera), and Bianca
(Laurel) are at stake as they play the unpredictable
game of love to live freely and happily with their
better halves.
The show kicks the suspense up a notch as it
brings more explosive revelations and thrilling
scenes that will make viewers hearts pound even
harder. Even the stars of the show are also excited
about the series much-awaited nale, teasing
viewers with the stories unexpected twists.
I was surprised when I read the script. I could
feel my heart beating. I am sure viewers will
be pleased with how the show will end, said
Magdayao.
If you thought Bianca was already bad, well,
you have not seen her worst yet. She will make
everyone crazy, teased Laurel.
You will see how far Marcos love will go for
Camille and his sacrices for her. You will love him
even more, shared Aquino.
You have yet to see which
team will win --- Team Sunrise or
Team Sunset? We promise you,
we will not let you all down with
our explosive ending, De Vera
insisted.
As they all ght to live a happy
life, who will win in the game of love? Will they be
able to escape the wrath of Bianca? Whose life will
be at risk next?
Since the series started airing in February, it
has added suspense to viewers afternoons and
impressed fans with the stars performances.
The show has also consistently won its timeslot,
hitting an all-time high national TV rating of 18
percent, according to data from Kantar Media. It is
also a daily trending topic as it garners thousands
of tweets daily.
The Better Half airs after Pusong Ligaw on ABS-
CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable 167).
***
Heres some bit of good news for workers in
local lmmaking.
After announcing the creation of the FDCP
National Registry on Aug. 2 at Limbaga 77, the
Film Development Council of the Philippines
(FDCP) will hold an on-site registration for all
lm workers wishing to avail of the benets and
services of the Registry.
As a database of all active lm workers, the
FDCP National Registry ensures the monitoring,
protection, and provision of basic social services to
all active lm workers.
On-site registration will be held from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. Aug. 30-31 at the UP Film Institute Film
Center (Cine Adarna).
Film workers actors, producers, directors,
production staff, technical workers, creative and
artistic team actively working in the last three
years are eligible to register and will be able to
avail of benets, such as SSS, Philhealth, and Pag-
ibig services, including attendance to workshops,
forums, and legal consultations, as well as access
to job opportunities for local and to pay Meralco, PLDT and Social Security dues.
foreign productions. She was also entrusted P21,500 for safekeeping.
Currently, we have hundreds She withdrew P 8,000 from my mothers GSIS ATM
of lm workers working card without permission. In addition, she had
ISAH V. RED
independently or on a per taken a cell phone, pan, clothing, bag and others.
project basis. Access to basic She had texted my mothers caregivers that she
social services, security, and job would hurt my mother and my family if we complain
opportunities are real issues with to the authorities. We have a pending investigation
them and we hope that the National Registry will with the NBI.
be a good start in addressing these gaps, said Liza My purpose for this request is to put out this
Dio. Film is an industry as it is an expression of information and caution any family she can
art and we have to start looking after our workers. victimize in the future. Please forward any
We are glad that we have the support of the social information about Ms. Landars whereabouts to
services institutions for this, she added. NBI - AOTD Anti-Organized Crime Transactional
A socialized annual membership fee will apply Division.
for all FDCP Members under the Registry, and the Thanks a lot.
amount will be based on their monthly income. Melvi DAvanzo
For more information on the FDCP Daughter, Rosa S. Pacubas
National Registry, visit the FB page or So, if youre in dire need of house help, you
email fdcpnationalregistry@gmail.com. know who not to hire. I am also posting her photo
*** in case she applies and uses another name.
Be careful when hiring house helps or
kasambahay. The girl or boy you could be hiring
might be someone who would con you with money,
gadgets or other valuables.
I got an e-mail from a college classmate at the
University of the Philippines Diliman College of
Mass Communication. Melvi Pacubas DAvanzo
was one of the sensitive actors in theater and lm at
the time of the new Philippine cinema spearheaded
by Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mario OHara,
and Orlando Nadres.
In the mail she sent me she rants how her
mothers kasambahay left her moms house with
a stash of cash meant to settle bills, like electricity,
phone, and other things.
Were reprinting her letter in toto
Dear Editor:
I request your assistance in informing the
general public of a theft, which our kasambahay,
Helen Palmaera Landar, had committed on my
mothers household in Paco, Manila. My mothers
name is Rosa S. Pacubas, 96, and bedridden. Ms.
Landar was given money (P11,500) on May 1, 2017 Helen Palmaera Landar

MEDIA giant GMA Network makes history once again

as its regional arm, Regional TV, launched the local news
program One Mindanao yesterday.
Anchored on the tagline We are One. We are Mindanao.
We are One Mindanao, the local news program airs 5 p.m.
Monday to Friday. It will be simultaneously broadcast in
key cities and provinces in Mindanao on GMA Networks
local channels in Mindanao: GMA 5 Davao, GMA 35
Cagayan de Oro City, GMA 8 General Santos City, GMA
12 Jolo, Sulu, GMA 9 Zamboanga City, GMA 12 Cotabato
City, GMA 2 Tandag City, GMA 10 Surigao City, GMA 26
Butuan City, GMA 4 Dipolog City, GMA 3 Pagadian City,
GMA 5 Ozamiz City, GMA 11 Iligan City, and GMA 12
Bukidnon.
One Mindanao features comprehensive and in-depth
news and information in the region.
A local news program made by Mindanaoans for the
Mindanaoans, Tek Ocampo, reputable TV host and news
presenter Sarah Hilomen-Velasco, and experienced news
correspondent Real Sorroche anchor One Mindanao.
Joining them are the various local news teams based in
Northern and Southern Mindanao and news stringers across
Mindanao.
GMA Vice President and Head of Regional TV Oliver
Amoroso underscores the signicance of One Mindanao.
Close to the Networks heart is for Mindanaoans to have
GMA Regional TV access to reliable, accurate, and impartial local news
and information regardless of race, ethnic and religious
background, and economic status. With the full support
makes history of GMAs Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon and
President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., we are happy
and proud of this pioneering local news program produced
by Mindanaoans for Mindanaoans, he said.
GMA Davao and Gensan Station Manager Mariles
Puentevella states, At this point in the nations history,
when Mindanao has taken center stage, it is imperative that
Mindanaoans have access to fair and balanced information
vital to growth and progress as a united community.
Theres a lot happening in Mindanao. It is also best
that everyone in Mindanao will know about it, says GMA
Cagayan de Oro Station Manager Armi Sobremisana.
We believe this is the right time to bring One Mindanao
at the core for a timely delivery of information. This way,
Cagayan de Oro and the rest of Mindanao will have a
better understanding of whats going on and can, therefore,
proactively contribute to building a unied and peaceful
Mindanao, she added.
From all parts of Mindanao, expect One Mindanao to
deliver topnotch news stories from Monday to Friday.
For more regional updates, follow GMA Regional TV
"One Mindanao," anchored by (from left) Real Sorroche, Sarah Hilomen- at www.facebook.com/gmaregionaltv and on Twitter and
Velasco, and Tek Ocampo, is GMA Regional TV's newest early evening newscast Instagram via @gmaregionaltv.